Changing the RBA Goalposts - Nominal GDP or Inflation targeting

Discussion in 'Markets & Economies' started by bull_bear, Aug 22, 2016.

  1. bull_bear

    bull_bear New Member Silver Stacker

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    Interesting Idea from Nick Xenophon, that could be worth looking into.
    Its slightly left field, but not as much as you would think,

    At the moment the Central Bank set interest rates with the aim of keeping inflation at 2-3% p.a.
    This idea is for the Central Bank to target Nominal GDP growth of say 5%


    Targeting Nominal GDP essentially, means that you can set interest rates lower when Nominal GDP growth is lower than average, even if it means inflation goes higher than the current 2-3% band, and then when you have boom times, (such as the period just before the GFC) you set interest rates higher than you might under the current system.


    http://www.theage.com.au/business/c...get-growth-not-inflation-20160821-gqxlcd.html

    http://www.economist.com/news/leade...rich-economies-zero-interest-rate-world-after

    Thoughts?
     
  2. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Perpetual growth of 5%.....sounds moronic and utterly populist.

    I prefer LDP policy of targeting 0% inflation and a balanced budget. In my opinion a healthy economy has both peaks and troughs. The troughs are required to clear out mal-investment. Similar to how back burning clears out dead wood and both prevents raging bushfires and promotes new growth.
     
  3. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    "mal-investment" seems like a coined phrase that might be associated with our PM Malcolm :D
     
  4. SpacePete

    SpacePete Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Stagnation? That will just prolong the pain and doom us to a slow, soul-destroying decline. We desperately need growth.
     
  5. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    At what price? 5% growth with 10% inflation - How does that sound?

    Growth is over-rated. We need sound money and sensible allocation of capital. Not populist drivel.
     
  6. mmm....shiney!

    mmm....shiney! Administrator Staff Member Silver Stacker

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    ^ unrealistic? :rolleyes:

    :p
     
  7. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Which part is unrealistic? The 5% growth, the 10% inflation or the sound money with sensible allocation of capital? :/
     
  8. Ipv6Ready

    Ipv6Ready Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Can it be done, Especially from Australia's economic point of view.

    We are by in large price takers. If we had that policy during the boom how would have the reserve gone about keeping it there.
     
  9. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    That's a very good question. I guess it depends on whether you believe in Keynesian economics. It also might depend on whether you care about our AAA ratings.

    You could probably argue that we could drop our interest rates further now to try and stimulate some growth (and drop our AUD) but it would be at a risk of creating inflation. That was kind of my initial point.
     
  10. Caput Lupinum

    Caput Lupinum Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Businesses aren't going to invest in capital expenditure if nominal GDP is less than 5% yet inflation to running away higher stopping the central bank from raising rates. Would be great for gold investors though, just ask Paul Volcker and 1980
     
  11. mmm....shiney!

    mmm....shiney! Administrator Staff Member Silver Stacker

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    It was tongue in cheek mate. Just echoes from a previous post of yours in another thread. Nothing serious. :cool:
     
  12. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Gotcha :cool:

    Yes, I am a moderate....and that probably makes me unrealistic. :p
     
  13. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    Very true. The previous mis-management and commonly proposed populist solutions is why I have been investing in gold recently.

    But I would much rather go back to being able to put money in the bank and invest in blue-chip shares with some confidence in the financial system.
     
  14. mmm....shiney!

    mmm....shiney! Administrator Staff Member Silver Stacker

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    - See more at: http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/ar..._measure_of_growth_.html#sthash.6ad0aKeM.dpuf

    There is more and more reference being made to inequality, happiness etc in articles about government policy and central planning. Those that support central planning are realising that governments can only fail in their attempts to control the economic outcomes of countries, so they're turning their attention to managing the social outcomes instead. All it just means is that they can keep stealing the wealth of the productive in order to remain in power.
     
  15. BuggedOut

    BuggedOut Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    It doesn't matter if we're poor, as long as we can feel good about ourselves :rolleyes:
     
  16. errol43

    errol43 New Member Silver Stacker

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    Are the GDP figures correct, In the UK Prostitution and the drug trade are included in the GDP figures. In Australia it seems like total production is included in the GDP and not the monetary amount...ie Mining Industry, production up. revenue down!

    GDP can be and are manipulated!

    When interest rates go to zero there is nothing left to stimulate the economy. Oh! I forgot QE 4.

    Regards Errol 43
     
  17. mmm....shiney!

    mmm....shiney! Administrator Staff Member Silver Stacker

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    Government expenditure is also included.
     
  18. blesbok

    blesbok Member Silver Stacker

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    It would be interesting to know how many $'s are spent to create $1 of GDP. I read somewhere that in the USA its $7 or $10 debt to create $1 GDP.
     
  19. millededge

    millededge Active Member

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    camp x-ray, spelling division
    Income vs product

    Easy to see productivity without income

    In present circumstances, not so much the other way, income leading to productivity

    Gross national income is down, but GDP is up

    What actually matters is our quality of life and we should strive to make it better for ourselves and for others, with a societal emphasis on others. Unfortunately for us, the Left, which is in reality Big Money, pretends to be "for others" but is clearly Big Money.

    We need to find a way to reassert basic human altruism away from these parasites.
     

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