Herbert Cole "Nugget" Coombs was an Australian economist and public servant. He was the first Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, in which capacity he served from 1960 to 1968.
Coombs at the Lapstone Conference in 1948
Coombs c. 1970
Reserve Bank of Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is Australia's central bank and banknote issuing authority. It has had this role since 14 January 1960, when the Reserve Bank Act 1959 removed the central banking functions from the Commonwealth Bank.
Reserve Bank of Australia Building, Sydney
H. C. Coombs is the only governor to have headed both the Commonwealth Bank and the Reserve Bank of Australia.
One ex officio member of the board is the Secretary to the Treasury (Treasury Department building seen here in Canberra).
Prime Minister Andrew Fisher's government created a commercial bank owned by the government, but not a central bank.