Did you know the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) was last reviewed in 1981? That was the Campbell inquiry reporting to the then Fraser Government. 

Much has changed since then. 

Little wonder there’s great interest in this current review to be delivered to the Federal Government imminently, and which was triggered by the reporting of senior Sydney Morning Herald and The Age correspondent Shane Wright. 

The respected correspondent joins Jennifer Duke, CPA Australia’s Walkley Award-winning former economics correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. 

They discuss the potential impact of this review. In particularly, the origins of the RBA and the broader implications for the Central Bank of this review. 

And with the RBA firmly in the spotlight for its aggressive cash rate rises since May 2022, there will be much focus on this review when it’s delivered to the Treasurer Jim Chalmers. 

“The reserve bank has this fantastic graph,” Wright says in this episode, “showing its forecast for wages growth from about 2012 marked against reality. And never the twain shall meet. 

“This is the Mary Celeste of forecasting.” 

Listen now. 

Host: Jennifer Duke, External Affairs Lead at CPA Australia

Guest: Shane Wright, Senior Economics correspondent with the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

You can read Shane’s reporting on the origins of the Reserve Bank and the case for a review.

CPA Australia publishes three podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: 

• With Interest
• INTHEBLACK
• Excel Tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. 

You can email the podcast team at [email protected]

Audio of RBA Governor Philip Lowe: Source: Reserve Bank of Australia 2021