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.
A ‘security blanket’ for Australian manufacturing
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Security, The Australian Economy | 26th August 2024Saul Eslake: The Albanese Government’s signature ‘Future Made in Australia’ has a good part, which is about the transition to net zero, and a not-so-good part, which reeks of ‘manufacturing fetishism’ and an obsession with ‘security’ at the expense of other objectives.
Australian Financial Review magazine feature on ‘The Worst (Australian) Public Policy Decision of the 21st Century Thus Far’
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, The Australian Economy | 24th July 2024The July 2024 edition of the Australian Financial Review‘s monthly magazine includes a feature article by Myriam Robin, editor of the ‘Rear Window’ column, on my ‘one-man mission’ (as she calls it) to undo what I’ve called ‘the Worst Public Policy Decision of the 21st Century Thus Far’, namely, the ‘deal’ (originally ‘done by the Morrison […]
‘The Big Picture’
Asian Economies, Economic Policies, Economic Video, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy | 22nd June 2024Saul 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.
Other central banks are cutting rates, why isnt the RBA?
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 13th June 2024Saul spoke with ABC Radio Sydney’s “Mornings” Presenter Hamish MacDonald about why the Reserve Bank is unlikely to follow the Bank of Canada or the European Central Bank in cutting interest rates any time soon, and also about the possible consequences of Australia ‘walking away’ from the emissions reduction targets to which it committed under the Paris Climate Accords.
Interest Rate and Inflation – Where to now?
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 8th June 2024Saul Eslake’s podcast of a wide-ranging discussion about inflation, interest rates and other economic topics with Ben Law, the “Financial Bloke” and host of The Agri Coach “Wealth and Wisdom podcast”. This discussion was published on 8th June but recorded on 11th April – so it predates the most recent Federal Budget, the latest unemployment figures from Australia and the US (both of which now have a 4 handle on them, and the interest rate cuts from the Bank of Canada and the European Central Bank in the first week of June.
The pros and cons of cutting immigration
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 7th June 2024In the first week of June 2024, Saul Eslake spoke with the host of the ABC’s “News Daily” podcast, Samantha Hawley, about the pros and cons of proposals which have been made by both the Labor Government and the Liberal-National Opposition to cut Australia’s immigration intake (the latter by a lot more than the former).
A post-Budget conversation
Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 16th May 2024On 15th May, I joined Professors Peter Robinson and Peter Van Onselen of the University of Western Australia for a discussion about the 2024-25 Federal Budget presented the previous day. A podcast of that conversation is here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/peter-van-onselen/episodes/Analysing-the-budget-e2jngdd
The 2024-25 Australian Government Budget – An Assessment
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, The Australian Economy | 15th May 2024Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers presented his third budget to the Australian Parliament on Tuesday 14th May. Here’s my assessment – there are some things to like about it (such as the cost-of-living relief), and some things to be skeptical about (such as many, though not all, of the things being funded under the ‘Future Made […]