-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000943663-04-000173.txt : 20040317
<SEC-HEADER>0000943663-04-000173.hdr.sgml : 20040317
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040317124325
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000943663-04-000173
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030611
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040317

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BRIGGS ALISON
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001283366

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-04438
		FILM NUMBER:		04674805

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O DECHERT LLP
		STREET 2:		1775 I STREET NW
		CITY:			WASHINGTON
		STATE:			DC
		ZIP:			20006

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ABERDEEN AUSTRALIA EQUITY FUND INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000779336
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000]
		IRS NUMBER:				133304681
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1031

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 MUDBERRY STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07102-4077
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2122141250

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 MUDBERRY STREET
		CITY:			NEWARK
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07102-4077

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FIRST AUSTRALIA FUND INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-06-11</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000779336</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ABERDEEN AUSTRALIA EQUITY FUND INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IAF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001283366</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRIGGS ALISON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3/23-25 OLD TAREN POINT ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SYDNEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>C3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>2229</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>AUSTRALIA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Affiliate of Inv. Adviser</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock ($.01 par value)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Victoria Szybillo, attorney in fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>briggspoa.htm
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
<html>

<head>
</head>

<body>

<b><font SIZE="2">
<p ALIGN="CENTER">POWER OF ATTORNEY</p>
</font></b><font SIZE="2">
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned,
being a person required to file a statement under Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;1934 Act&quot;) and/or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the &quot;1940
Act&quot;), with respect to <b>Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc.</b>, <b>Aberdeen
Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. </b>and/or <b>Aberdeen GLOBAL Income Fund, Inc.
(together, the &quot;Funds&quot;)</b>, constitutes and appoints Sander M. Bieber,
Jennifer O. Epstein, Wendy Fox and Victoria M. Szybillo, and each of them, as
his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for such attorney-in-fact in such
attorney-in-fact's name, place and stead:</p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
to execute, for and on behalf of the undersigned, any and all statements on
Forms 3, 4, and 5 as are required to be filed by the undersigned pursuant to the
1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and any amendments or supplements thereto;</p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with such stock
exchange(s) or similar authorities as may be required, and to make such filings
electronically both (i) before such filings are required by applicable law or
rule to be made electronically and (ii) when such filings are required by
applicable law or rule to be made electronically; and</p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
to complete and file such applications and other documents on behalf of the
undersigned as may be necessary or desirable to permit the foregoing filings to
be made electronically on behalf of the undersigned.</p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The undersigned grants unto said attorney-in-fact and agent
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to effect the foregoing, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.</p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The undersigned acknowledges and understands that filings
made electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commissions pursuant to the
authority granted hereto will be made publicly available on the website of the
Securities and Exchange Commission.</p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this
Power of Attorney on the date indicated below.<br>
<br>
</p>
</font>
<table CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="7" WIDTH="589">
  <tr>
    <td WIDTH="206" VALIGN="TOP"><font SIZE="2"><u>
      <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">/s/ Alison Briggs&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>
      </u>Signature</font></td>
    <td WIDTH="105" VALIGN="TOP">&nbsp;</td>
    <td WIDTH="210" VALIGN="TOP"><font SIZE="2"><u>
      <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">03/10/2004&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>
      </u>Date</font></td>
    <td WIDTH="4" VALIGN="TOP">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td WIDTH="206" VALIGN="TOP">
      <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"></td>
    <td WIDTH="105" VALIGN="TOP">&nbsp;</td>
    <td WIDTH="210" VALIGN="TOP">
      <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"></td>
    <td WIDTH="4" VALIGN="TOP">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
</table>
<u><font SIZE="2">
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Alison Briggs&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>
</font></u><font SIZE="2">Printed Name</p>
</font>

</body>

</html>

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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