Tasmania
I did most of my education in Tasmania and, after spending almost 34 years on what Tasmanians call ‘the mainland’, returned to Tasmania in December 2014. Both while I was living away, and since returning, I’ve maintained a keen interest in the progress (or, at times, lack of it) of Australia’s smallest state. The pieces here represent some of my efforts to advocate for policies which, in my opinion, would result in a stronger Tasmanian economy and improved living standards for Tasmanians.
Tasmania’s public finances – a comparison with other states and territories in eight charts
Economic Policies, Tasmania | 25th June 2025With all eight Australian states and territories having presented their 2025-26 Budgets, it’s clear that, by most metrics, Tasmania’s public finances are in a worse condition than those of any other jurisdiction – a judgement underscored by the Tasmanian Treasury in its Pre-Election Financial Outlook Report released on 25th June 2025, which vindicates all of […]
Tasmania’s next government needs to have credible plans to return the budget to a cash surplus and reduce debt
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Tasmania | 17th June 2025Unfunded pork-barrelling accounts for more than three-quarters of the increase in Tasmania’s ‘general government’ net debt between 2017-18 and the forecast for 2027-28. During the campaign for the election to be held on 19th July (the third in four years, the fourth in seven) someone needs to say, echoing Kevin Rudd during the 2007 Federal […]
Tasmanian Government Privatisation Assessment – ‘Stage One’ Report
Economic Policies, Tasmania, Topics | 1st June 2025In March this year the Premier of Tasmania, the Hon. Jeremy Rockliff MP, asked Saul to give his Government “high level” advice on the possible privatization or divestment of 16 different government business enterprises (GBEs), state-owned companies (SOCs) and other entitites. The terms of reference called for the advice to be presented in two stages, […]
Tasmania’s 2025-26 State Budget puts the main task off to another day
Economic Policies, Tasmania | 29th May 2025The 2025-26 Tasmanian State Budget, presented on 29th May 2025 by Treasurer Guy Barnett, does nothing to prevent or forestall a further deterioration in Tasmania’s financial position. Despite picking up some of the recommendations in my Independent Review of Tasmania’s State Finances published in August last year, the job of putting Tasmania’s public finances on a […]
The funding of greyhound racing in Tasmania
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Tasmania | 22nd May 2025Saul Eslake’s report on the financing (overwhelmingly by the Tasmanian State Government) of greyhound racing in Tasmania: Note: this report was funded by private individuals associated with 12 charities and community groups campaigning for greyhound welfare. However none of those individuals sought to influence the content of this report, the responsibility for which rests entirely […]
Podcast: Tasmania’s Debt Dilemma
Economic Policies, Economic Video, Tasmania | 13th March 2025Podcast recording of Saul Eslake’s presentation to a public forum hosted by the University of Tasmania, as part of its “Island of Ideas” series, in Hobart on 12th March 2025 – at which he discusses the Tasmanian Government’s response to his Independent Review of Tasmania’s Public Finances, published in August last year (and available here).
Tasmania’s Debt Dilemma
Economic Policies, Tasmania | 12th March 2025Slides accompanying Saul’s presentation to a public forum hosted by the University of Tasmania, as part of its “Island of Ideas” series, in Hobart on 12th March 2025 – at which he discusses the Tasmanian Government’s response to his Independent Review of Tasmania’s Public Finances, published in August last year (and available here). A podcast […]
Review of the case for privatization of Tasmanian Government business enterprises
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 6th March 2025In his annual ‘State of the State’ address to the Tasmanian Parliament on 4th March, Tasmania’s Premier the Hon. Jeremy Rockliff MP announced that he had asked me to provide the Government with advice as to whether it should consider selling any of its state-owned enterprises (other than Hydro Tasmania, the state-owned electricity generation company, […]