Public lectures in honour of the late Sir Leslie Melville
The Sir Leslie Melville Lecture is an annual public lecture of The Australian National University. The Lecture was established in 2002 as part of the celebration of the 100th birthday of Sir Leslie Galfried Melville (1902-2002), and to mark more than half a century of Sir Leslie’s distinguished public service in the fields of monetary policy and higher education. The lecture seeks to reflect the economist and economics in public and official affairs; befitting Sir Leslie’s key role in pioneering central banking in Australia, a number of past lectures have addressed aspects of central banking.
Next Sir Leslie Melville lecture
TBA
Most recent Sir Leslie Melville lecture
Climate change and central banks
In her last speech as Deputy Governor of the RBA, Michele discussed the RBA's work on climate change and the transition to net zero emissions, recognising the range of implications for the economy, the financial system, and society more broadly.
The RBA's work includes understanding how more frequent, severe, or protracted weather events and the global transition to net zero emissions will affect variables key to the setting of monetary policy, such as inflation, output and the neutral interest rate. The RBA also has a role in monitoring how climate change affects financial stability, partly through its impact on banks and insurers. Furthermore, as a member of the Council of Financial Regulators, the RBA supports the development of frameworks that enable financial markets to manage climate risks and opportunities.
Michele has been appointed as Governor of the RBA for a seven-year term, commencing 18 September 2023. She was appointed to the position of Deputy Governor at the RBA in 2022. She is also the Deputy Chair of the RBA Board, the Deputy Chair of the Payments System Board, and a member of Chief Executive Women.
Leading to her current role, Michele held a variety of senior management positions in the RBA: Assistant Governor (Financial Systems); Assistant Governor (Business Services); Assistant Governor (Currency); Adviser for the Currency Group; and Head of Payments Policy Department. She did a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) at the University of England, and a Master of Science at the London School of Economics.
Past lectures
Dr Steven Kennedy PSM, Secretary of the Department of the Treasury of Australia
"A tale of two crises: reflections on macroeconomic policy responses to the GFC and the pandemic"
Adrian Orr, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand
"The COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and opportunities facing central banks"
Philip Lowe, Governor, The Reserve Bank of Australia
Luci Ellis, Assistant Govenor (Economic), Reserve Bank of Australia
"On Lags"
John Fraser, Secretary, Department of Treasury
Geoff Bascand, Deputy Governor and Head of Operations at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand
"Changing dynamics in household behaviour: what do they mean for inflationary pressures?"
Professor Forrest Capie, City University, London
The limits of central banking; central banks and financial crises
Professor Pierre Pestieau, University of Liege, Belgium
Dr Alan Bollard, formerly Governor, Reserve Bank of New Zealand
Dr Charles Bean, Deputy Governor, Bank of England
2010
Dr Martin Parkinson, formerly Head of the Department of Climate Change, now Secretary to the Treasury
2009
Professor R G Gregory, formerly Head of Economics, RSSS, now Visiting Fellow, RSE
2008
Glenn Stevens, Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia
2007
Professor Robin Jeffery, formerly Director of RSPAS, now Distinguished Professor at the University of Singapore
2006
Professor Warwick McKibbin, formerly Director, RSE, now at the Crawford School, ANU
2005
Professor Max Corden, formerly Head of Economics, RSPAS, now Distinguished Professor at Melbourne
2004
Professor Ross Garnaut, Distinguished Professor, ANU and Melbourne
2003
Dr Ken Henry, Secretary to the Treasury
2002
Ian Macfarlane, Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia