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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’

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.

Is the United States about to step over a dangerous financial precipice?

Economic Policies, News, The Global Economy | 24th May 2025

Interest rates on US Federal Government debt are on the cusp of exceeding the growth rate of (nominal) US GDP – an unusual situation, and one which challenges what has been the ‘conventional wisdom’ in economic policy-making circles for at least the past six years that government deficits and debt may not matter as much […]


Government’s proposal to increase the tax on superannuation

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation | 22nd May 2025

Saul Eslake talks to Radio 2HD Newcastle’s Brent Bultitude about the Government’s proposal to increase the tax on superannuation balances of more than $3 million, including by taxing unrealized capital gains in those funds


The funding of greyhound racing in Tasmania

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Tasmania | 22nd May 2025

Saul Eslake’s report on the financing (overwhelmingly by the Tasmanian State Government) of greyhound racing in Tasmania: Note: this report was funded by private individuals associated with 12 charities and community groups campaigning for greyhound welfare. However none of those individuals sought to influence the content of this report, the responsibility for which rests entirely […]


Victoria’s profligacy is a problem for all of us

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, The Australian Economy | 20th May 2025

Saul Eslake’s op-ed on the 2025-26 Victorian Budget, published in The Australian Financial Review on 20th May 2025


Labor should use its second victory as a platform for ambitious reform

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News | 5th May 2025

Saul Eslake’s op-ed article in The Australian Financial Review of 5th May 2025, looking at the economic policy landscape in the aftermath of the 2025 Federal election which saw the Labor Goverment of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese returned with an increased majority – something that no first-time government has ever previously achieved in Australian political history


Global turmoil, tariffs and impacts on the Australian economy

Asian Economies, Economic Policies, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy, Topics | 30th April 2025

Saul Eslake’s presentation to a webinar hosted by the Freight & Trade Alliance (Australia’s leading representative body for the international supply chain sector bringing together importers, exporters, customs brokers, freight forwarders, logistics service providers and industry groups) on 29th April 2025.  


The two worrying trends revealed in Australia’s AAA warning

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, The Australian Economy | 30th April 2025

Saul Eslake’s op-ed published in The Australian Financial Review on 30th April about two sources of risk to Australia’s AAA credit rating, highlighted by S&P’s warning at the beginning of the final week of the 2025 election campaign.


Australia’s Federal Election 2025 Key Issues

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Productivity, Recent Media Interview, Taxation, The Australian Economy | 27th April 2025

In this InEconomics podcast series Saul Eslake dives into an in-depth analysis of cost-of-living and housing issues, shedding light on untargeted policies and the broader economic implications.