SAUL ESLAKE

Economist

SAUL ESLAKE

‘Welcome to my website …
I’m an independent economist, speaker, company director
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.

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


Preview of the 1st May Tasmanian State election

Australian Society and Politics, Tasmania | 24th April 2021

An overview of Tasmania’s economy ahead of next weekend’s state election, and some figuring about the election itself.


Conversation with the Archbishop

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, Taxation, The Australian Economy, Video | 27th March 2021

Saul 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.


SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

Speaking Engagement | Boardroom Advisory | Commissioned Report | Expert Witness



Saul Eslake online presentation


“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


The next four years will be difficult for Tasmania
News, Tasmania
27th March 2024


Some initial reflections on the outcome of the 2024 Tasmanian State election
Australian Society and Politics, Tasmania
24th March 2024


Tasmania’s fiscal position
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania
24th March 2024


Productivity, Tax Reform and ‘Peak China’
Asian Economies, Economic Policies, Productivity, Taxation, The Australian Economy
13th March 2024


Tasmania – lost opportunities
Tasmania
12th March 2024


The Tasmanian Economy
Tasmania
29th February 2024


The worst public policy decision of the 21st Century
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview
20th February 2024


Is ‘price gouging’ a major contributor to inflation?
Recent Media Interview
19th February 2024


The massive $50bn GST revenue distribution blow out (with Andy Park)
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview
14th February 2024


The massive $50bn GST revenue distribution blow out (with Gary Adshead)
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview
14th February 2024


Tasmania’s senior secondary education reform
Recent Media Interview, Tasmania
13th February 2024


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


Insights on Asian Elections 2024 mentioned in The Economist
Asian Economies
30th January 2024


Alternatives to interest rates
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
29th January 2024


Reflections on ‘Australia Day’
Australian Society and Politics
26th January 2024


VIDEO

Recent Presentations


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TESTIMONIALS

What Others Say


“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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