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 Great Housing Disaster – Who’s to Blame?”

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Topics | 15th April 2024

This week’s Saturday Paper‘s “&am” podcast looks at the causes and consequences of the massive increase in Australian residential property prices, relative to incomes, and the resulting decline in home ownership rates, especially among younger and middle-aged Australians, over the past six decades. It includes some extended grabs from me. It’s available here: https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/podcast/the-great-housing-disaster-whos-blame (the […]



Some initial reflections on the outcome of the 2024 Tasmanian State election

Australian Society and Politics, Tasmania | 24th March 2024

Some initial reflections on the Tasmanian election results (based on figures posted on the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website as of 9am Sunday morning, 24th March). First, the Liberals were the biggest losers at the election. Their share of the primary vote fell by 12.0 pc pts, the second-largest swing against them ever recorded (exceeded only […]


Tasmania’s fiscal position

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 24th March 2024

Saul Eslake talks to ABC Radio Hobart’s “Mornings” presenter Leon Compton about the condition of Tasmania’s budget and public finances, and what the impact of the spending promises made by the contenders in the 23 March election might mean for those.


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

Saul Eslake: An essay about the consequences of the Morrison Government’s decision (supported by the then Labor Opposition and continued, indeed extended, by the current Albanese Labor Government) to change the way in which the revenue from the GST is carved up among Australia’s states and territories, at the behest of Australia’s richest state, Western Australia.


Reflections on ‘Australia Day’

Australian Society and Politics | 26th January 2024

I am working today, as I have done every 26th January since 1994, when then Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett (I was living in Melbourne at the time) ordained that the ‘Australia Day’ holiday would be observed on the 26th January, rather than on the Monday nearest to that date, as it had previously been for […]


Queensland Government’s doubes its First Home Owners’ Grants

Australian Society and Politics, Housing, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy, Video | 20th November 2023

Saul talks to Brisbane radio 4BC’s Bill McDonald about the Queensland Government’s decision to double its First Home Owners’ Grant 


Managing the Budget

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Economic Video, The Australian Economy | 9th August 2022

 Presentation to the John Howard Prime Ministerial Library’s 2022 Annual Conference on the theme “Analysing the crises within the Howard Government era and their management”, on 23rd June 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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WHAT'S NEW

Most Recent Articles, Talks and Presentations


2025 election issues – a podcast with the hosts of SBS News’ “Party Time” hosts
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies
25th April 2025


Australia’s ‘housing crisis’ – and how (and why) both major political parties plan to make it worse
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview
19th April 2025


Housing Policies Could Push Up Prices
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview
17th April 2025


Housing policies in the 2025 election
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News
17th April 2025


Bad Housing Policy (yet again?)
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation
14th April 2025


There must be an election on – both major parties are proposing policies which will push up house prices
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Publications, Taxation
13th April 2025


Things that we should be (but won’t be) talking about during the current election campaign
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Productivity
11th April 2025


Trump’s Apparent Tariffs Backflip
Economic Policies, Globalization, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy
10th April 2025


Trump’s Tariffs and China’s reaction
Economic Policies, Globalization, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy, US Economy Video
10th April 2025


Tariffs, Global Economics, and the Future of Trade Policies
Economic Policies, Globalization, News, The Global Economy, US Economy Video
8th April 2025


Stocks bloodbath: Why investors no longer think Trump can make America great again
Economic Policies, News, The Global Economy
7th April 2025


Our World – Suddenly Not Like It Was – Part 1
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Video, Security
6th April 2025


The Importance of Productivity – and What to Do About It
Economic Policies, Productivity, The Australian Economy
29th March 2025


The 2025-26 Federal Budget – An Assessment
Economic Policies, The Australian Economy
27th March 2025


What might and might not be in the budget
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
24th March 2025


NEWS

TV, Radio & Print Media


Australia’s ‘housing crisis’ – and how (and why) both major political parties plan to make it worse
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview | 19th April 2025

Housing Policies Could Push Up Prices
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview | 17th April 2025

Housing policies in the 2025 election
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News | 17th April 2025

Bad Housing Policy (yet again?)
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation | 14th April 2025

Tariffs, Global Economics, and the Future of Trade Policies
Economic Policies, Globalization, News, The Global Economy, US Economy Video | 8th April 2025

Stocks bloodbath: Why investors no longer think Trump can make America great again
Economic Policies, News, The Global Economy | 7th April 2025

What might and might not be in the budget
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 24th March 2025

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

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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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