Australian Society and Politics
You can’t think (or write, or speak) about an economy without also having a sense of the broader social and economic framework in which it operates. I try very hard to avoid partisan political commentary, but I do sometimes feel moved to write or talk about social or political developments.
Productivity Commission Report on GST Distribution
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview | 14th August 2026Saul Eslake explains why the Commission found the 2018 GST reforms inefficient, ineffective and not operating as intended, and why WA’s long‑running arguments about “lazy states” and “engine rooms of the economy” don’t align with the evidence.
This time, the Productivity Commission gets it right
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies | 14th August 2026The Productivity Commission’s Interim Report has delivered a blunt verdict on the 2018 GST distribution changes: they haven’t worked. The Commission finds the reforms have weakened fiscal equalization, created perverse outcomes, increased costs to the Commonwealth, added complexity, and disproportionately benefited Western Australia while offering no real stability for other states. It also debunks long‑standing myths about who “pays” GST and who “gets it back”. With three clear options on the table, the Federal Government now faces a major test of its commitment to equity and responsible budgeting — and both major parties must decide whether they will prioritise national fairness over political expediency.
Opening Statement to Senate Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into proposed tax reforms
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Taxation | 15th June 2026Saul Eslake’s opening statement to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee’s public inquiry into the income tax reforms proposed by the Australian Government in the 2026-27 Federal Budget. Below that are some ‘supporting materials’ also provided to the Committee.
Australia’s Economic and Political Outlook
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Taxation, The Australian Economy | 4th June 2026Saul Eslake’s presentation to Anglicare’s annual CEO Forum in Melbourne on 4th June 2026. Not much politics in it, but a focus on the tax reform proposals presented in the 2026-27 Federal Budget, and other ideas about longer-term tax reform in Australia.
The Fiscal Sustainability of the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies | 19th May 2026My Final Report to the ACT Legislative Assembly Select Committee on the Fiscal Sustainability of the ACT was published on 19th May.
The 2026-27 Australian Government Budget – an Assessment
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 13th May 2026Saul’s assessment of the 2026-27 Australian Government Budget, presented by Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers on 12th May 2026.
The capital gains discount was meant to usher in an Australia of ‘shareholders’ – not property speculators
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing | 29th April 2026The Australian edition of The Guardian published an op-ed article from Saul about prospective changes to the taxation of capital gains in the forthcoming Federal Budget on 28th April 2026.
Saul on Bloomberg’s Wall St Week about Australia’s Housing Crisis
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Economic Video, Housing, Recent Media Interview | 7th April 2026Saul Eslake talks to Bloomberg TV’s Wall Street Week about Australia’s “housing crisis”, and why it is unlikely to be solved by any conscious government policies.