How eight RBA bosses handled 63 years of economic curveballs

Since the RBA was formed in 1960, inflation has been up to 18 per cent and down to -1. Here’s how each governor dealt with their economic curveballs.

Michael ReadEconomics correspondent

Sep 17, 2023 – 6.19pm

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When Michele Bullock starts her new job on Monday she will be the Reserve Bank of Australia’s ninth governor since “Nugget” Coombs was appointed in 1960 to lead the newly formed institution.

In the 63 years that have followed, inflation has been as high as 18 per cent and as low as -1 per cent as the economy navigated booms and busts.

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Michael ReadEconomics correspondentMichael Read is the Financial Review's economics correspondent, reporting from the federal press gallery at Parliament House. He was previously an economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia and at UBS.