The Australian Economy
Australia hasn’t had a recession – in the widely used sense of two or more consecutive quarters of negative real GDP growth – since 1991. Since then, Australia’s ranking among nations in terms of per capita GDP has risen from 22nd to, in the last four years, either 12th or 13th, behind only the United States, Norway, Switzerland and a number of other smaller states which are predominantly either oil producers or financial centres. Australia’s economic performance reflects a combination of luck and management – the relative importance and quality of which have varied significantly from time to time. Monitoring the performance of and analysing the prospects for the Australian economy has been the major part of my ‘day job’ since I completed my university degree in 1979.
The Future of Work
Labour Market, The Australian Economy | 4th May 2021Talk to a conference on “The Future of Work” hosted by ISPT (an industry superannuation funds property trust) in Canberra on 4th May 2021, which looks at the prospects for, and implications of, an increase in the proportion of employees “working from home” in the aftermath of Covid-19
The right and proper thing to do | Inside Story
Economic Policies, Publications, The Australian Economy | 30th April 2021Treasurer Josh Frydenberg makes the ‘right call’ on fiscal policy, 12 days out from the 2021-22 Federal Budget
The implications of Covid-induced changes in patterns of work for property markets
News, Publications, The Australian Economy | 13th April 2021Op-ed piece in the Australian Financial Review for 13th April 2021 looking at some of the implications of Covid-induced changes in patterns of work for property markets
The Australian economy’s recovery from the corona-recession, and implications for interest rates
Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 8th April 2021Saul talks to the Eureka Report’s Alan Kohler about Australia’s better-than-expected recovery from the “corona-recession”, which in turn reflects Australia’s relatively good performance in keeping the virus ‘at bay’ and the larger-than-average volume of fiscal support provided by the Australian Government. He explains how the closure of Australia’s borders to migrants (as well as tourists […]
Rebound in growth could force RBA’s hand on rates
Economic Policies, News, Publications, The Australian Economy | 8th April 2021Feature article published in the Australian Financial Review on 7th April, looking at Australia’s emergence from the recession induced by Covid-19, and the implications for the future course of fiscal and monetary policy
Conversation with the Archbishop
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, Taxation, The Australian Economy, Video | 27th March 2021Saul participated in a ‘Conversation with the Archbishop’, hosted by the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, in Melbourne’s Federation Square along with CEO of Anglicare Kasy Chambers, on Tuesday 23rd March 2021, about Australia’s response to Covid-19 and how the ‘new normal’ could be different from the old one.
The west is having its iron ore cake – and eating it too
Economic Policies, News, Publications, The Australian Economy | 24th March 2021Op-ed piece in the Australian Financial Review on 24th March 2021 about “deal” imposed on states and territories by the Federal Government two years ago which is now producing the perverse result that the Federal Government will have to run an even bigger budget deficit so as to allow Western Australia – the only government […]
Opportunities and Challenges for Regional Australia
The Australian Economy | 17th March 2021Presentation to the Regional Australia Institute’s “Rising Regions” National Summit, Canberra, 17th March 2021
