SYDNEY - Australia's top central banker on Tuesday said policy makers were "dead serious" about getting inflation under control and were still hopeful it could be done without tipping the economy into recession.

Answering questions after a speech in Perth, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Philip Lowe said the bank had raised interest rates earlier in the day to ensure that current high levels of inflation did not turn into a damaging price-wage cycle.

Lowe also said the RBA's nine-member policy Board had a "strong consensus" on the rate rise, which surprised many in financial markets.

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Andrew Heavens)