The Reserve Bank of Australia opted to leave the cash rate, its main policy instrument, unchanged at 4.75%, in the wake of flooding across the country's east coast, minutes released on Tuesday showed.

"While the recent floods would have significant short-term effects on output and prices, members considered that the focus of monetary policy should remain on the medium-term outlook for economic activity and inflation," the minutes from the central bank's policy meeting on February 1 showed.

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