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’

Publications


Here you can find articles or essays which I have written and which have been published elsewhere

Rebuilding the performing arts: an economist weighs in

Publications, The Arts | 21st August 2021

The Arts Hub’s article on Saul’s recent keynote address to Australian Performing Arts Market’s ‘Gathering’


Is Australia having a Second Recession?

Australian Society and Politics, News, Publications, The Australian Economy | 16th August 2021

A recession is commonly defined as two or more quarters of negative growth in real GDP. But that’s a silly rule – and it isn’t used in the US, where the body which officially delineates recessions last month said that the 2020 recession lasted just two months. If the bushfires of late 2019 and early […]


Lifting education key to boosting Tasmanian wages

Education, News, Publications, Tasmania | 2nd August 2021

You may find this article by Sean Ford in today’s Examiner and Advocate newspapers of interest … it encapsulates what I’ve been saying on this subject now for 24 years, to no real avail – but, to paraphrase Mitch McConnell speaking (pejoratively) of Elizabeth Warren, “still I persist”. Tasmanias education outcomes need improving to boost […]


June CPI and the implications of Australia’s vaccination strategy

Economic Policies, News, Publications, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 29th July 2021

Saul talks to Alan Kohler about this week’s June quarter CPI result and the implications of Australia’s vaccination strategy for our economic performance.


The CommSec “State of the States” Report – Tasmania

News, Publications, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 29th July 2021

Saul discusses the latest CommSec ‘State of the States’ Report with Tasmania Talks’ Mike O’Loughlin on 28th July 2021.


‘Pop goes the rental’

Economic Policies, Housing, Publications | 26th July 2021

Column published in The Saturday Paper on 24th July examining the reasons behind, and consequences of, Australia’s seemingly unstoppable housing price escalator (the headline was chosen by the editor)


Hiding behind the ‘health advice’

Australian Society and Politics, Publications | 14th June 2021

Op-ed article published by the Australian Financial Review arguing that the time is fast approaching when the Government can no longer defer decisions on (for example) how long to keep Australia’s borders closed to “health advice” without also giving at least some weight to other considerations (also available here)  


How Victoria became one of Australia’s ‘poorer’ states over the past 10 years

Publications, The Australian Economy | 4th June 2021

Op-ed article published in the Melbourne Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers  on 4th June 2021 outlining how Victoria’s economy has come to depend to a much greater extent on population growth than that of any other Australian state or territory, and the possible consequences for Victoria’s medium-term economic outlook given the way its mis-handling […]


SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

Speaking Engagement | Boardroom Advisory | Commissioned Report | Expert Witness



Saul 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.



“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


Request Speaking Engagement


WHAT'S NEW

Most Recent Articles, Talks and Presentations


What might and might not be in the budget
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
24th March 2025


The Impact of President Trump’s ‘trade war’
Economic Policies, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy, US Economy Video
18th March 2025


Potential Risks in the Australian Share Market
Economic Policies, Economic Video, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy
18th March 2025


Questions for Australia’s Defence in a Changed World (Part 3)
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Video, Security
17th March 2025


Victoria joins the ranks of so-called ‘mendicant’ states
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News
16th March 2025


Erratic US Trade Policy
Economic Policies, Globalization, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy, US Economy Video
15th March 2025


Questions for Australia’s Defence in a Changed World
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Video, Security
14th March 2025


Questions for Australia’s Defence in a Changed World (Part 2)
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Video, Security
14th March 2025


Podcast: Tasmania’s Debt Dilemma
Economic Policies, Economic Video, Tasmania
13th March 2025


The impact of Trump’s tariff and other policies
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy, US Economy Video
13th March 2025


What could be in the Federal Budget 2025-2026?
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy
12th March 2025


Tasmania’s Debt Dilemma
Economic Policies, Tasmania
12th March 2025


The real meaning of last November’s US elections is becoming clearer – the American people voted for this
Australian Society and Politics, News, Security, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy
9th March 2025


Werribee voters send messages to both major Victorian political parties
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News
9th March 2025


Review of the case for privatization of Tasmanian Government business enterprises
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania
6th March 2025


NEWS

TV, Radio & Print Media


What might and might not be in the budget
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 24th March 2025

Victoria joins the ranks of so-called ‘mendicant’ states
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News | 16th March 2025

The impact of Trump’s tariff and other policies
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Global Economy, US Economy Video | 13th March 2025

What could be in the Federal Budget 2025-2026?
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, The Australian Economy | 12th March 2025

The real meaning of last November’s US elections is becoming clearer – the American people voted for this
Australian Society and Politics, News, Security, The Australian Economy, The Global Economy | 9th March 2025

Werribee voters send messages to both major Victorian political parties
Australian Society and Politics, Economic Policies, News | 9th March 2025

Review of the case for privatization of Tasmanian Government business enterprises
Economic Policies, News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 6th March 2025

Tasmania’s Public Finances
& the Independent Review of Tasmania’s State Finances (Aug, 2024)

News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 14th February 2025

How Victoria became one of Australia’s ‘poor states’
Economic Policies, News, Publications, The Australian Economy | 25th November 2024

Negative Gearing
Economic Policies, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview, Taxation | 26th September 2024

Tasmania’s State Budget 2024 – 2025 with Leon Compton
News, Recent Media Interview, Tasmania | 13th September 2024

Solutions to Australia’s Housing Crisis
Australian Society and Politics, Housing, News, Recent Media Interview | 11th September 2024

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VIDEO

Most Recent Multimedia


TESTIMONIALS

What Others Say


Australian Minister for Housing, the Hon. Clare O'Neill MP on ABC Q&A, September 2024

“We are lucky as a State to have an economist of your calibre willing to readily make yourself available to give us a clea r perception of where we are at and the direction we need to go for a better future”
Diplomatic Representative, August 2024

“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

Useful Links


Below is a list of links I’ve found useful under the following broad topics

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