Reserve Bank of Australia

The RBA’s main purpose it to conduct monetary policy. It is a completely seperate entity of the government and sets the Cash Rate, which dicates the cost of borrowing/credit for households and businesses.

Policy Objectives

  • The (price) stability of the currency of Australia
  • The maintenance of full employment in Australia; and
  • The Economic prosperity and welfare of the people of Australia

The RBA attempts to maintain;

  • Price Stability by keeping Consumer Price Inflation at 2-3% on average, over the course of the business cycle.
  • Economic Prosperity and Welfare, making sure there are rising living standards in the long-term (economic growth).
  • Full Employment by acheiving the ”natural rate of unemployment”. (~4% as of 2022)

Obligations

source

  • To Conduct Monetary Policy
  • The maintenance of the Financial Payments system
To Conduct Monetary Policy
  • Nime member RBA Board holds it’s monetary policy meeting on the first Tuesday of each month (except january), to decide on whether to change the cash rate.
  • They review data from large sets of domestic and international sources.
    • ABS Data release
    • Privately compiled business surveys
    • much more
  • Does report to government to ‘Inform on the Bank’s Monetary and banking Policy
The maintenance of the Financial Payments system