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’

Economic Policies


The Nobel Prize winning economist James Tobin once said that the study of economics “offered the hope, as it still does, that improved understanding could better the lot of mankind”. One of the ways in which it does this is through the implementation of economic policy that helps to ameliorate boom-and-bust cycles, reduces unemployment, contains inflation or lifts people’s living standards in sustainable ways.

The proposed changes to the “stage 3 tax cuts”

Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 24th January 2024

Saul Eslake talks to the Seven Network’s “Sunrise” hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shervington on 24 Jan 2024 about the Government’s proposed changes to the “stage 3 tax cuts” originally legislated by the Morrison Government back in 2019, and which the current government had previously promised to “deliver in full”.


Stage 3 Tax Cuts 2024

Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 15th January 2024

Saul Eslake talks to 4BC’s Bill McDonald about the ‘stage 3’ tax cuts – originally legislated by the former Morrison Government, but which the Albanese Government has pledged to deliver in full come 1st July – and the impact they might have on the Reserve Bank’s thinking about interest rates.


The RBA is following a slightly different path from its peers

Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 11th January 2024

The Reserve Bank of Australia has come in for criticism for some quarters for its most recent rate hike (on 7th November). Although most RBA-watchers, me included, think that there won’t be any more rate hikes next year, the Minutes of the 5th December RBA Board meeting show that another hike was a live option […]


The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO)

Economic Policies, News, The Australian Economy | 13th December 2023

Interview with Melbourne Radio station 3AW’s Heidi Murphy about the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) presented by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday 13th December Economist provides rundown on the budget update and the ‘surprising’ passport increase (3aw.com.au)


September quarter national accounts and their implications for the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monetary policy

Economic Policies, Economic Video, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 6th December 2023

Saul spoke with Ausbiz ‘s Danielle Ecuyer about today’s September quarter national accounts and their implications for the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monetary policy settings 


Danielle Wood, the Productivity Commission and the horizontal fiscal equalization (HFE)

Economic Policies, Taxation, The Australian Economy | 13th November 2023

The changes to the way in which revenues from the GST are carved up among the states and territories imposed by the Morrison Government in 2019 (with the support of the then Labor Opposition) represent, IMHO, one of the worst pieces of public policy-making in Australia in at least 25 years. Among many other flaws, […]


Some Reflections on Inflation, Economic Growth and on Monetary and Fiscal Policy

Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 11th August 2022

Talk to the ACT Branch of the Economic Society of Australia, at Parliament House in Canberra, on 11th August 2022    


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


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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

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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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