SAUL ESLAKE

Economist

SAUL ESLAKE

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

Topics


‘Tasmanian Money Matters’ – Tasmania’s Economy and Public Finances

Economic Policies, Tasmania | 3rd October 2024

Tasmania is no longer ‘leading the nation’ on most economic indicators, as it was for a while between 2017 and 2022, and its public finances are on track to become the worst of any state or territory. And the current Government isn’t doing anything about either. Saul’s presentation to an ‘Island of Ideas’ forum hosted […]


Challenges and Opportunities for Australian Agriculture

Commodities, The Australian Economy | 1st October 2024

Australia’s, and Queensland’s, agriculture sector has a bright future – if it can successfully confront and overcome a series of challenges, some of which are common to farmers everywhere, some of which are unique to Australia or Queensland. Saul’s presentation to AgForce Queensland’s annual Agriculture Industry Conference at the Brisbane Royal International Conention Centre on […]


Negative Gearing

Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation | 26th September 2024

Saul talks to ABC News Channel’s “Afternoon Briefing” presenter Greg Jennett about reports that the Albanese Government may be thinking about changes to negative gearing and/or the capital gains tax discount, and what such changes might mean for housing affordability.


Will Anthony Albanese succeed where Bill Shorten failed in making changes to the taxation treatment of property investment?

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Taxation | 26th September 2024

Article published by Pearls and Irritations on 26th September 2024, revisiting the arguments for winding backk ‘negative gearing’ and the capital gains tax discount, in the light of press reports suggesting that the Albanese Governmnt has asked Treasury to consider options for reform.


‘Super for housing’ is a souped-up first home owners grants scheme – and it won’t help any more than first home owners grants have

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing | 24th September 2024

The Hobart Mercury published an op-ed article on 24th September about the Liberal-National Coalition’s proposal to allow people to withdraw funds from their superannuation (retirement income) savings accounts in order to assist with the purchase of a first home.  


‘Super for Housing’ – a Thoroughly Bad Idea

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, The Australian Economy, Topics | 19th September 2024

Saul’s analysis of the Liberal-National Coalition’s proposal to allow people to withdraw up to 40% of their superannnuation savings (up to a maximum of $100,000) in order to purchase a first home (subject to a requirement that the amount withdrawn be re-invested in superannuation when that home is sold), commissioned by the Super Members’ Council, published […]


A ‘path back to surplus’ for the Tasmanian Budget? Not really

Tasmania | 17th September 2024

Saul’s op-ed in the Hobart Mercury of 17th September arguing that, contrary to the Tasmanian Government’s assertions, the 2024-25 Budget does not chart a credible ‘path back to surplus by 2029-30’ – or at least, not a surplus which can then be used to start repaying debt.


What’s happening in the economy – nationally and in Tasmania

Economic Policies, Tasmania, The Australian Economy | 13th September 2024

Saul’s presentation to the Governance Institute of Australia’s Tasmanian Governance Forum on 13th September 2024, providing some perspectives on recent developments in the Australian economy and the outlook for interest rates – and also the Tasmanian economy, the Independent Review of Tasmania’s State Finances and the 2024-25 Budget presented the day before.


SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

Speaking Engagement | Boardroom Advisory | Commissioned Report | Expert Witness



Saul Eslake spoke to Zurich Australia executives and staff at their ‘Accelerate’ conference in Sydney on 9th May 2024, covering short- and longer-term trends in major ‘advanced’ economies, China, India and Australia, with a bit of geo-politics thrown in.



“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


Request Speaking Engagement

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Most Recent Multimedia


TESTIMONIALS

What Others Say


Australian Minister for Housing, the Hon. Clare O'Neill MP on ABC Q&A, September 2024

“We are lucky as a State to have an economist of your calibre willing to readily make yourself available to give us a clea r perception of where we are at and the direction we need to go for a better future”
Diplomatic Representative, August 2024

“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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WHAT'S NEW

Most Recent Articles, Talks and Presentations


‘Tasmanian Money Matters’ – Tasmania’s Economy and Public Finances
Economic Policies, Tasmania
3rd October 2024


Challenges and Opportunities for Australian Agriculture
Commodities, The Australian Economy
1st October 2024


Negative Gearing
Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation
26th September 2024


Will Anthony Albanese succeed where Bill Shorten failed in making changes to the taxation treatment of property investment?
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Taxation
26th September 2024


‘Super for housing’ is a souped-up first home owners grants scheme – and it won’t help any more than first home owners grants have
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing
24th September 2024


‘Super for Housing’ – a Thoroughly Bad Idea
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, The Australian Economy, Topics
19th September 2024


A ‘path back to surplus’ for the Tasmanian Budget? Not really
Tasmania
17th September 2024


What’s happening in the economy – nationally and in Tasmania
Economic Policies, Tasmania, The Australian Economy
13th September 2024


Tasmania’s State Budget 2024 – 2025 with Leon Compton
News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania
13th September 2024


Tasmania’s 2024-25 State Budget – an Assessment
Economic Policies, Tasmania
12th September 2024


Solutions to Australia’s Housing Crisis
Australian Society and Politics, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview
11th September 2024


Tasmania’s State Finances – presentation to the Local Government Association of Tasmania’s Annual Conference
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Tasmania
4th September 2024


All about inflation
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
31st August 2024


LINKS

Useful Links


Below is a list of links I’ve found useful under the following broad topics

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