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’

Tasmania


I did most of my education in Tasmania and, after spending almost 34 years on what Tasmanians call ‘the mainland’, returned to Tasmania in December 2014. Both while I was living away, and since returning, I’ve maintained a keen interest in the progress (or, at times, lack of it) of Australia’s smallest state. The pieces here represent some of my efforts to advocate for policies which, in my opinion, would result in a stronger Tasmanian economy and improved living standards for Tasmanians.

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The Tasmanian Economy

Tasmania | 29th February 2024

Saul’s presentation to the CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) Annual Economic & Political Outlook conference, Hobart, 29th February 2024


Tasmania’s senior secondary education reform

Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 13th February 2024

Saul Eslake joined WorkPlace Demographer Lisa Denny and Emeritus Professor Michael Rowan on ABC Radio Hobart’s “Mornings” program hosted by Leon Compton to discuss the findings of the Productivity Commission’s recent Report on Government Services findings with regard to the performance of Tasmania’s education system. and in particular our abysmally low Year 12 retention and attainment rates. All three of them have been long-term advocates for fundamental changes in Tasmania’s senior secondary education system so that Tasmanian students can have access to the same opportunities as their peers in every other state.


Tasmanian Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Scores

Education, Tasmania, The Stream | 6th December 2023

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), as it’s called, assesses how well 15-year-olds are prepared to use their knowledge and skills in particular areas to meet “real-world challenges and opportunities”. It measures three core domains of reading literacy, mathematical literacy and scientific literacy. Students completeEvery three years, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development […]


The Tasmanian Economy

Tasmania | 2nd November 2023

Presentation to the Annual Tasmanian Economic Forum, 2nd November 2023. Despite out-performing the national economy on most metrics in the years leading up to the Covid pandemic, and during the pandemic itself, Tasmania remains the poorest state in Australia, by a wide margin. And now Tasmania’s economy appears to be under-performing the rest of Australia […]


The 2022-23 Tasmanian State Budget

Tasmania | 26th May 2022

An ‘instant analysis’ of the 2022-23 Tasmanian State Budget presented by new Treasurer Michael Ferguson on 26th May 2022


Tasmania Talks 16 May 2022

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 16th May 2022

Saul talks to Tasmania Talks’ Mike O’Loughlin about Tasmania’s economy and the Morrison Government’s “Super for Housing”


How greed and politics threaten Tasmanian living standards

Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Tasmania | 12th April 2022

Article published by the Tasmanian magazine Forty South about the corruption of the long-standing principles under which revenues from the GST (and before the introduction of the GST in 2000, ‘general purpose grants’ from the Federal Government) are shared among Australia’s states and territories How greed and politics threaten Tasmanian living standards


Peter Gutwein’s legacy as Premier and Treasurer of Tasmania

News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 5th April 2022

Saul talks to Tasmania Talks’ Mike O’Loughlin about Peter Gutwein’s legacy as Premier and Treasurer of Tasmania, and the challenges facing his successor, whoever he or she may be


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


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


‘Stage 3’ tax cuts
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
25th January 2024


The proposed changes to the “stage 3 tax cuts”
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
24th January 2024


Don’t count your chickens when it comes to an RBA rate cut
Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
23rd January 2024


Have we passed ‘peak China’?
Asian Economies
23rd January 2024


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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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