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’

Economics and Economists


The American actor Will Rogers once said (in 1932) that “an economist’s guess is liable to be as good as anybody else’s” (click here for more jokes about economists). More seriously, Paul Krugman (a Nobel Prize winning economist who these days is probably better known for his acerbic columns in the New York Times) wrote, “Economists may make lots of bad predictions, but they do have a method – a systematic way of thinking about the world that is more true than not, that gives them genuine if imperfect expertise. That is also, of course, why lay commentators and other social scientists tend to hate them”. Some of my thoughts about my profession and its practitioners are here.

Excerpt: Modern Monetary Theory

Economic Policies, Economics and Economists, QE & MMT, The Global Economy | 25th August 2021

Login or subscribe to view the full video and presentation slides Login Subcribe Some commentators seem to think that ‘QE’ is simply a variant of, or a step along the road to, something called ‘Modern Monetary Theory’ or ‘MMT’.  It isn’t: and so in the second part of this series Saul explains what MMT is […]


Video & Presentation Slides: Modern Monetary Theory

Economic Policies, Economics and Economists, The Global Economy | 25th August 2021

In this webinar Saul will explain what MMT is (and what it isn’t), what the historical record shows about how it might work in practice, and what some of the results might be if it were implemented in current circumstances.

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Video & Presentation Slides: What is ‘QE’, and how does it work?

Economic Policies, Economics and Economists, QE & MMT, The Global Economy | 29th July 2021

In this webinar Saul will explain exactly what ‘QE’ is, how its done, why central banks are doing it, what its intended and unintended effects are, and how long central banks might keep doing it for.


Why study economics?

Economics and Economists | 23rd October 2017

A short video for the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, at the University of Tasmania


Choices, Luck and Forecasting

Economics and Economists | 18th May 2015

Address to’The Friendly Conference’, hosted by the Friends’ School, Hobart, 18th May 2015


Forecasting is more than just luck

Economics and Economists | 15th November 2014

Article published in ‘Management Today’, the magazine of the Australian Institute of Management, November 2014


Reflections on and lessons from a career as an economist

Economics and Economists, Publications | 10th November 2013

Article published in ‘Insights’, by the Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Melbourne, vol 14, Nov 2013, pp.45-51


On the Role of Economists, and Leaving Tasmania

Economics and Economists, Tasmania | 16th December 2012

Occasional Address at the University of Tasmania’s Graduation Ceremony for students of the Faculty of Commerce, 16th December 2002


ECONOMIC CHART PACK


Beginning in June 2020, Saul began publishing the Coronavirus Impact Chart Pack, a weekly publication tracking the course of Covid-19 and its impact on economies around the world, including Australia and New Zealand. Starting at just under 60 pages, by the second half of 2021 it had grown to more than 150 pages.

From the beginning of this year, 2022, the Chart Pack has been replaced with three separate publications:

Each of these chart packs will continue to trace the impact of the virus (for as long as that’s relevant), economic data, developments in monetary and fiscal policy, trends in financial markets, and (where relevant) political developments. They will be accessible to subscribers of the Premium Access package.

The World Economy chart pack will have sections covering the global economy, and the economies of major regions – including the United States, Europe, China, Japan, other East Asian countries, India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (very briefly), Latin America and Central & Eastern Europe.


"I see a lot of chart packs in my line of work, but yours is about the best I have seen. It is amazingly comprehensive, covering far more of the world than any individual is entitled to cover, the charts are clear and easy to understand and they drill down into each topic in a very satisfying way. So well done, Saul."

Alan Kohler, ABC finance presenter, founder of Eureka Report


"A timely and comprehensive summary from one of Australia's best economists."

Adam Creighton, Economics Editor for The Australian


“I continue to find your thinking invaluable - this year to my ritual weekend reading of the economist I have happily added ‘Saul’s latest’.”

Rufus Black, former Managing Partner of McKinsey’s, and currently Vice-Chancellor of the University of Tasmania


“Your chart pack is amazing - and thanks for offering to add me to the mailing list, that would be great to be included. Everything you could want to know is there - and the way the data are organised and presented to tell the stories makes it so easy to follow.”

Prof Jeff Borland, Truby Williams Professor of Economics, The University of Melbourne, Website


“An excellent summary. Although I take a great interest in what’s happening with COVID-19 day by day In Australia and Internationally, I always find your weekly summary a very interesting review of the past week.”

retired former Chief Executive Officer of a District Hospital Service in New South Wales


THE WORLD ECONOMY THIS WEEK
5th September 2022



This chart pack, published on Monday morning (Eastern Australian time) each week, portrays developments in the global economy and in the economies of major nations and regions – the United States, Europe, China, Japan, other East Asian economies, India, Canada, Australia & New Zealand*, Latin America and Central & Eastern Europe – with particular emphasis on:

  • the impact of Covid-19,
  • economic growth,
  • labour markets,
  • international trade and payments,
  • inflation,
  • fiscal and monetary policy,
  • bond, currency and stock markets, and
  • where relevant, political developments

The pack typically runs to 110-120 pages and includes more than 570 individual charts as well as tables and text.

* for more detailed coverage of Australia and New Zealand please see The Australian Economy this Week and The New Zealand Economy this Month, respectively.

THE WORLD ECONOMY THIS WEEK 2022-09-05

THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY THIS WEEK
2nd September 2022



This chart pack, published on Friday evening (Eastern Australian time) each week, portrays developments in the Australian economy, with particular emphasis on:

  • the impact of Covid-19,
  • broad indicators of economic growth,
  • conditions in the business sector
  • the household sector, and consumer spending
  • housing finance and construction. and the residential property market
  • the labour market
  • commodity prices, trade and the balance of payments
  • inflation,
  • fiscal and monetary policy,
  • Australian financial markets

Closer to this year’s federal elections – which have to be held no later than 29th May – we will include some pages on political developments as well.

The pack typically runs to 80-90 pages and includes some 280 charts.

For coverage of the global economy, please see The World Economy this Week

THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY THIS WEEK 2022-09-02

EVENTS

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


online events @ saul-eslake.com



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WHAT'S NEW

Most Recent Articles, Talks and Presentations


The World Economy this Week 2022-09-05

The World Economy This Week | 5th September 2022

The Australian Economy this Week 2022-09-02

The Australian Economy This Week | 2nd September 2022

Towards a Healthy Housing System and Why Social Housing isn’t Enough on its Own
Housing
17th August 2022


Papua New Guinea in the World Economy
The Global Economy
15th August 2022


Some Reflections on Inflation, Economic Growth and on Monetary and Fiscal Policy
Economic Policies, The Australian Economy
11th August 2022


The Risk of Recession
Economic Video, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
10th August 2022


Managing the Budget
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Economic Video, The Australian Economy
9th August 2022


Treasurer’s Ministerial Statement on the Economy
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
31st July 2022


June quarter inflation figures
News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
28th July 2022


Consumer prices surge to 21-year high
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
27th July 2022


Critics call for World Trade Organization reform
Globalization, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy
27th July 2022


The Australian Economy – What’s in Store?
The Australian Economy
20th July 2022


The risks of recessions in Europe, the US and Australia
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy
13th July 2022


RBA raised rate for the third time
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
6th July 2022


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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LINKS

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