The Reserve Bank of Australia, once the envy of the world for presiding over a three-decade economic expansion, has hurtled back to earth. The first external review of the bank in a generation urged officials to undertake a reform that’s commonplace for monetary authorities across the globe, but which the RBA had fiercely resisted. Crazy as it sounds, having a press conference after a meeting to set interest rates is groundbreaking Down Under.

So for the first time, an Australian central bank chief will make it a practice to face the media following a rate decision. Tuesday is the big debut. That this is seen as a big deal speaks to how far behind best practice the authority had fallen. This is Communications 101. New Governor Michele Bullock should use the moment to enhance the message from the formal rate statement, not embark on a new tack or get distracted by issues that are unhelpful or guaranteed to create a storm. Whether the bank likes it or not, talk is now a critical part of the policy game.