Russell Mathews: A Review of his Academic and Professional Career

This paper reviews the academic and professional career of Russell Mathews who in 1986 retired as the foundation Director of the Centre for Research on Federal Financial Relations at the Australian National University, Canberra. His academic career is reviewed in four periods: 1949-1953 at the newly formed Australian National University; 1953-1964 at the University of Adelaide; 1964-1971 in the Department of Accounting and Public Finance, Australian National University; and 1972-1986 as Director of the Centre for Research on Federal Financial Relations. In addition the paper briefly refers to his other professional activities, particularly as a member of the Commonwealth Grants Commission, his chairmanship of the Advisory Council for Inter-government Relations, and his participation in government-sponsored inquiries into academic salaries, land tenure, and inflation and taxation.