Four Favourite economists
A new genre in the ever-changing world of art. Pete Jonson had a stellar career as a senior economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia during the reform decade of the 1980s. He was heavily involved in the float of the Australian dollar and fully responsible for Paul Keating’s ‘Banana Republic’ moment and subsequent fiscal repair. He wrote an influential paper in 1990 arguing for a central bank independent of government with its chief operating focus on containing goods and services inflation. This plan was implemented in 1996 after a change of government. Pete is a life-long painter of landscapes and has become far more focused and professional during recent years as his corporate career winds down. EconArt is a new genre of painting, which Pete Jonson hopes will catch on like a bushfire on a hot day in summer, but bring useful information and cheer rather than pain and loss. The offering is accompanied by brief summaries of each image and some people have said these summaries have helped them understand a subject that is often thought of as an obscure black art. Owners may invite Pete to explain their painting, and related matters economic, to them and a group of friends, especially if accompanied by food and wine. And, as will be explained on the night of April 10, 30 per cent of the sale price is going to charities nominated by DMP Asset Management.