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’

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.

The cost of appeasing Western Australia

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Tasmania | 20th June 2021

For the next six years, Federal taxpayers – and after that, taxpayers in Australia’s eastern states and territories – will be paying a very high price in order to appease Western Australia’s desire to hang on to as much as they possibly can of the windfall gains it’s reaping from the huge prices being paid […]


Australia’s race against the virus

Australian Society and Politics, News, Recent Media Interview | 18th June 2021

Australia’s race against the virus: ‘dilatory’ vaccine roll-out likely to bring Australia’s economic recovery ‘back to the pack’ Excerpt from interview with Melbourne radio 3AW’s Tom Elliott on 17th June


Hiding behind the ‘health advice’

Australian Society and Politics, Publications | 14th June 2021

Op-ed article published by the Australian Financial Review arguing that the time is fast approaching when the Government can no longer defer decisions on (for example) how long to keep Australia’s borders closed to “health advice” without also giving at least some weight to other considerations (also available here)  


Failure, Success, Risk and Luck: Some Personal Reflections

Australian Society and Politics | 10th June 2021

Address to the National Boys’ Education Conference, hosted by The King’s Institute, North Parramatta (Sydney), on 10th June 2021


‘No principle’ of public finance says ‘optimal level’ of government debt is zero

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, The Australian Economy | 13th May 2021

Saul talks to Sky News’ Ashleigh Gillon about Australian Federal Budget 2021-2022


Eureka Report: Australian Federal Budget 2021-2022

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, The Australian Economy | 13th May 2021

Saul talks to Eureka Report‘s Alan Kohler about Australian Federal Budget 2021-2022


Video & Presentation Slides: Saul’s Assessment of 2021 – 2022 Australian Federal Budget

Australian Federal Budget, Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 12th May 2021

Last year’s budget encapsulated a massive turnaround in the Morrison Government’s fiscal strategy, from one focussed on achieving and then maintaining budget surpluses and paying down with a view eventually to eliminating government net debt, to one focussed on supporting economic activity and employment in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, even though that meant […]


Tasmania Talk: Australian Federal Budget 2021-2022

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Tasmania, The Australian Economy | 12th May 2021

Saul talks to Tasmania Talk’s Mike O’Loughlin about Australian Federal Budget 2021-2022


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


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NEWS

TV, Radio & Print Media


Victoria joins the ranks of so-called ‘mendicant’ states
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News | 16th March 2025

The impact of Trump’s tariff and other policies
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy, US Economy Video | 13th March 2025

What could be in the Federal Budget 2025-2026?
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 12th March 2025

The real meaning of last November’s US elections is becoming clearer – the American people voted for this
Australian Society and Politics, News, Security, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy | 9th March 2025

Werribee voters send messages to both major Victorian political parties
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News | 9th March 2025

Review of the case for privatization of Tasmanian Government business enterprises
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 6th March 2025

Tasmania’s Public Finances
& the Independent Review of Tasmania’s State Finances (Aug, 2024)

News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 14th February 2025

How Victoria became one of Australia’s ‘poor states’
Economic Policies, News, Publications, The Australian Economy | 25th November 2024

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

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

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

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

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VIDEO

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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LINKS

Useful Links


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

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