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Module M05 Quiz: Fiscal Policy, Money and the Reserve Bank

30 questions ยท Introductory ยท Mix of multiple choice, calculation, and short answer

How to use

Attempt each question before clicking Show Answer. For calculation questions, write out your working before checking.


Question 1

Lesson L01 ยท Fiscal Policy

Which is an automatic stabilizer?

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) JobKeeper payments
  • B) Income tax receipts
  • C) Infrastructure spending
  • D) Defense procurement
Show Answer

Answer: B) Income tax receipts

Taxes fall automatically in recessions, boosting disposable income


Question 2

Lesson L01 ยท Fiscal Policy

If revenue=500 and spending=600, the budget is:

Type: Calculation

Show Answer

Answer: -100

Balance=Revenue-Spending=500-600=-100


Question 3

Lesson L01 ยท Fiscal Policy

Define discretionary fiscal policy.

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: Deliberate changes in spending/taxes to manage demand

Requires new legislation or executive action


Question 4

Lesson L01 ยท Fiscal Policy

A deficit must be financed by:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Printing money
  • B) Borrowing
  • C) Selling assets
  • D) All of the above
Show Answer

Answer: B) Borrowing

In Australia, deficits are financed by issuing government bonds


Question 5

Lesson L01 ยท Fiscal Policy

The 2020-21 Australian budget deficit was about:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) $50 billion
  • B) $134 billion
  • C) $200 billion
  • D) $22 billion
Show Answer

Answer: B) $134 billion

COVID stimulus created a record $134bn deficit


Question 6

Lesson L02 ยท Fiscal Policy

Australia avoided recession in 2009 due to:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Fiscal stimulus
  • B) Monetary policy
  • C) Mining boom
  • D) All of the above
Show Answer

Answer: D) All of the above

All three factors helped Australia outperform peers


Question 7

Lesson L02 ยท Fiscal Policy

The 2022-23 surplus resulted from:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Spending cuts
  • B) Higher taxes
  • C) Commodity prices
  • D) All of the above
Show Answer

Answer: C) Commodity prices

Surging coal/gas prices boosted company tax receipts


Question 8

Lesson L02 ยท Fiscal Policy

Why are deficits sometimes appropriate?

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: To stimulate demand during economic downturns

Counter-cyclical policy smooths the business cycle


Question 9

Lesson L02 ยท Fiscal Policy

If 2020 revenue was 490bn and spending 624bn, the deficit was:

Type: Calculation

Show Answer

Answer: 134

624-490=134


Question 10

Lesson L02 ยท Fiscal Policy

The Howard government surpluses were helped by:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) The mining boom
  • B) Tax reforms
  • C) Spending restraint
  • D) All of the above
Show Answer

Answer: D) All of the above

Multiple factors contributed to early 2000s surpluses


Question 11

Lesson L03 ยท Money Supply

Which is NOT a function of money?

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Medium of exchange
  • B) Store of value
  • C) Unit of account
  • D) Guarantee of wealth
Show Answer

Answer: D) Guarantee of wealth

Money doesn't guarantee wealth preservation (inflation erodes it)


Question 12

Lesson L03 ยท Money Supply

In Australia, most money is:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Physical cash
  • B) Bank deposits
  • C) Gold reserves
  • D) Cryptocurrency
Show Answer

Answer: B) Bank deposits

Over 97% of money is electronic bank deposits


Question 13

Lesson L03 ยท Money Supply

Define 'unit of account'.

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: Money provides a common measure for pricing goods/services

Allows comparison of values using a standard metric


Question 14

Lesson L03 ยท Money Supply

If M1=1000 and M3=2500, calculate non-M1 components.

Type: Calculation

Show Answer

Answer: 1500

2500-1000=1500


Question 15

Lesson L03 ยท Money Supply

During hyperinflation, money fails as:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Medium of exchange
  • B) Store of value
  • C) Unit of account
  • D) All of the above
Show Answer

Answer: B) Store of value

Rapid price erosion destroys money's value storage function


Question 16

Lesson L04 ยท Monetary Policy

The RBA's two main roles are:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Monetary policy and bank regulation
  • B) Monetary policy and payments system
  • C) Fiscal policy and bank regulation
  • D) Tax collection and currency issuance
Show Answer

Answer: B) Monetary policy and payments system

RBA sets monetary policy and oversees payments; APRA handles regulation


Question 17

Lesson L04 ยท Monetary Policy

APRA supervises:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Banks
  • B) Insurers
  • C) Super funds
  • D) All of the above
Show Answer

Answer: D) All of the above

APRA oversees all three types of financial institutions


Question 18

Lesson L04 ยท Monetary Policy

What is an Exchange Settlement Account?

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: An RBA account banks use for real-time interbank payments

Enables final settlement of transactions between financial institutions


Question 19

Lesson L04 ยท Monetary Policy

If CBA transfers 1M to NAB via ES, what happens?

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: RBA debits CBA's ESA by 1M, credits NAB's ESA by 1M

Electronic adjustment of reserve balances at the central bank


Question 20

Lesson L04 ยท Monetary Policy

The cash rate is the interest rate on:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Mortgages
  • B) Government bonds
  • C) Overnight interbank loans
  • D) Term deposits
Show Answer

Answer: C) Overnight interbank loans

The RBA targets the rate banks charge each other for overnight loans


Question 21

Lesson L05 ยท Money Supply

With 10% reserves, a $1000 deposit can support max loans of:

Type: Calculation

Show Answer

Answer: 9000

Money multiplier=10, total deposits=10000, so loans=9000


Question 22

Lesson L05 ยท Money Supply

Banks create money by:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Printing notes
  • B) Making loans
  • C) Buying gold
  • D) Issuing shares
Show Answer

Answer: B) Making loans

Loans create new deposits, expanding the money supply


Question 23

Lesson L05 ยท Money Supply

Explain fractional reserve banking.

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: Banks hold only a fraction of deposits as reserves, lending the rest

Enables money creation through the lending process


Question 24

Lesson L05 ยท Money Supply

If reserve ratio=0.1 and new deposit=500, calculate money multiplier.

Type: Calculation

Show Answer

Answer: 10

Multiplier=1/reserve ratio=1/0.1=10


Question 25

Lesson L05 ยท Money Supply

Why do actual multipliers fall short of theoretical maximums?

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: Due to excess reserves and cash leakages

Not all money is relent in practice


Question 26

Lesson L06 ยท Monetary Policy

The equation of exchange is:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) MV=PY
  • B) MC=MR
  • C) C+I+G=Y
  • D) S=I
Show Answer

Answer: A) MV=PY

MV=PY relates money supply to nominal GDP


Question 27

Lesson L06 ยท Monetary Policy

If M grows 10%, V is stable, and Y grows 3%, inflation is:

Type: Calculation

Show Answer

Answer: 7

%ฮ”M + %ฮ”V = %ฮ”P + %ฮ”Y โ†’ 10+0=%ฮ”P+3 โ†’ %ฮ”P=7


Question 28

Lesson L06 ยท Monetary Policy

What assumption makes MV=PY predict proportional inflation?

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: That velocity and real output are constant

If V and Y don't change, ฮ”M leads to proportional ฮ”P


Question 29

Lesson L06 ยท Monetary Policy

During crises, why might money growth not cause inflation?

Type: Short Answer

Show Answer

Answer: Because velocity falls as people hoard cash

Reduced spending offsets money supply growth


Question 30

Lesson L06 ยท Monetary Policy

The quantity theory is most reliable for:

Type: Multiple Choice

  • A) Short-run forecasts
  • B) Long-run trends
  • C) Sectoral analysis
  • D) Microeconomic behavior
Show Answer

Answer: B) Long-run trends

Works best over long periods when V and Y trends stabilize