SAUL ESLAKE

Economist

SAUL ESLAKE

‘Welcome to my website …
I’m an independent economist, speaker, company director
and Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Tasmania’

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.

A new dawn over stormy seas

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Publications, The Australian Economy | 23rd May 2022

Article commissioned by The Conversation suggesting (at the risk of ‘jumping the gun’) a way in which the new Labor Government might be able to secure a mandate for more ambitious economic reform next time around.


Who is a better economic manager?

Australian Society and Politics, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 21st May 2022

Saul Eslake talks to ABC RN’s Geraldine Doogue: un-picking the question of which side of politics can credibly claim to be ‘better economic managers’. The article originally published by @johnmenadue’s Pearls & Irritations is available here


The Morrison Government’s “Super for Housing” (with Joe O’Brien)

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview | 16th May 2022

Saul Eslake’s interview with the ABC’s 24-hour TV News Channel’s Joe O’Brien about the Morrison Government’s policy of allowing would-be first home buyers to use their superannuation savings for a deposit (and responding to suggestions by Minister Jane Hume that his views were the result of his owning more than one property – which he […]


The Morrison Government’s “Super for Housing” (with Peter Ryan)

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview | 16th May 2022

Saul Eslake talks to ABC News’ Peter Ryan about the Morrison Government’s policy of allowing would-be first home buyers to use their superannuation savings for a deposit (and responding to suggestions by Minister Jane Hume that his views were the result of his owning more than one property – which he doesn’t).


Tasmania Talks 16 May 2022

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 16th May 2022

Saul talks to Tasmania Talks’ Mike O’Loughlin about Tasmania’s economy and the Morrison Government’s “Super for Housing”


Why Reserve Bank needs to raise rates next week

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 28th April 2022

Saul talked with The Conversation’s Chief Political Correspondent Michelle Grattan on 27th April about this week’s much bigger-than-expected March quarter inflation data, and its implications for next week’s RBA Board meeting and for the current election campaign.


“Why ‘less’ could be more when it comes to solving housing affordability crisis” – interview with Melbourne radio 3AW’s Tom Elliott

Australian Society and Politics, Housing, News | 22nd April 2022

I spoke with Melbourne radio 3AW’s ‘Drive’ presenter Tom Elliott on 22nd April about why successive governments’ policies designed (so they say) to reverse the 56-year slide in home ownership rates have failed. https://omny.fm/shows/drive-with-tom-elliott/prominent-economist-explains-why-less-could-be-mor


Who are the ‘better managers’ of Australia’s economy?

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Publications, The Australian Economy | 21st April 2022

Article originally published on John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations site on 21st April 2022, asking whether either of Australia’s major political parties can credibly claim to be “better economic managers” than the other.


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“You are the best economic thinker in the country hands down”

Sheryle Bagwell, recently retired Senior Business Correspondent (and sometime Executive Producer),
ABC Radio National Breakfast


“Just want to congratulate you Saul on the unbelievably good set of slides you just presented, possibly the best I have ever seen. You have set the bar very high.”

Dr Joe Flood, Adjunct Fellow, RMIT University, Pandemicia


“Thank you very much for your excellent presentation for the Economic Society today. It is always a great pleasure to hear your eloquent, up-to-date and comprehensive talks.”

Andrew Trembath, economist, Victorian and Australian Government agencies


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WHAT'S NEW

Most Recent Articles, Talks and Presentations


The next four years will be difficult for Tasmania
News, Tasmania
27th March 2024


Some initial reflections on the outcome of the 2024 Tasmanian State election
Australian Society and Politics, Tasmania
24th March 2024


Tasmania’s fiscal position
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania
24th March 2024


Productivity, Tax Reform and ‘Peak China’
Asian Economies, Economic Policies, Productivity, Taxation, The Australian Economy
13th March 2024


Tasmania – lost opportunities
Tasmania
12th March 2024


The Tasmanian Economy
Tasmania
29th February 2024


The worst public policy decision of the 21st Century
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview
20th February 2024


Is ‘price gouging’ a major contributor to inflation?
Recent Media Interview
19th February 2024


The massive $50bn GST revenue distribution blow out (with Andy Park)
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview
14th February 2024


The massive $50bn GST revenue distribution blow out (with Gary Adshead)
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview
14th February 2024


Tasmania’s senior secondary education reform
Recent Media Interview, Tasmania
13th February 2024


Distribution of GST Revenue: the Worst Public Policy Decision of the 21st Century to date.
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, The Australian Economy
4th February 2024


Insights on Asian Elections 2024 mentioned in The Economist
Asian Economies
30th January 2024


Alternatives to interest rates
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
29th January 2024


Reflections on ‘Australia Day’
Australian Society and Politics
26th January 2024


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TESTIMONIALS

What Others Say


“You are one of the best at what you do in the world”
Gail Fosler, Chief Economist, The Conference Board, New York, December 2002

“I have never known an economist to have such a knowledge of world economic facts and to be able to bring to bear so much information in answering a question without notice”
Charles Goode, Chairman, ANZ Bank, July 2009

“Saul Eslake is … a highly regarded independent economist with the highest degree of integrity"
John Durie, Columnist, The Australian, July 2009

“… one of the few people in this world who can have so many oranges up in the air at the same time but still manage to catch them"
Andrew Clark, journalist, Australian Financial Review, November 2008

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