The case for Reserve Bank independence on monetary policy is obvious. If politicians have control of the money supply, they will use it to support their re-election.
But what is the case for Reserve Bank independence on financial regulation?*
The question arises because the Reserve Bank is looking at disclosure rules and possibly other regulations in response to climate change. The Bank can only consider these actions by maintaining climate change is a risk to financial stability. The Reserve Bank Act does not mention climate change but makes the Bank responsible for the stability of the financial system.
The Reserve Bank has not found any credible evidence that climate change threatens financial stability. Climate change is a big problem, to be sure, which demands a response. But its costs will be manageable and come with decades of warning. The idea that climate change is financial stability risk is absurd.
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