Politics · Australia · 12 hrs ago
Watt urges Labor colleagues to stop undermining Treasurer Chalmers
Environment Minister Murray Watt urged Labor colleagues to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers as the government faces pressure over its economic management.
Reports of tension between Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have surfaced in recent weeks.
Ministers are discussing budget cuts as Labor tries to reduce spending and ease inflation.
The Reserve Bank has raised interest rates, and its governor has said public and private spending added to excess demand in the economy.
Popular clean-energy subsidies could be cut back, including support for home batteries and electric vehicles.
Labor plans to set out savings in a December budget update, with public service spending also under review.
Environment Minister Murray Watt has urged Labor colleagues to stop leaking and undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
Watt said Chalmers was doing an excellent job during difficult economic times and that many factors affecting the economy were outside a treasurer’s control.
Ministers met on Monday to discuss possible savings for the government’s December budget update as it seeks to reduce spending and ease inflationary pressure.
The government is considering changes to clean energy subsidies, including its home battery and electric vehicle programs.
Labor’s primary vote fell in two polls published on Monday, while the Coalition and One Nation also recorded changes.
- Who
- Environment Minister Murray Watt urged Labor colleagues to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
- What
- Watt called for an end to leaks and criticism directed at Chalmers.
- When
- Monday, November 9, 2026.
- Where
- Canberra, where ministers met to discuss possible budget savings.
- Why
- Watt said government members should support each other and government policies during difficult economic times.
Labor government
Coalition
Budget savings
Labor government
The government is considering savings for its December budget update.
Coalition
The Coalition has called for more savings, while Watt said it is blocking $10 billion in proposed measures.
Public spending and inflation
Labor government
Labor has pointed to higher fuel prices as worsening inflation.
Coalition
The Coalition and most economists argue public spending has made it harder for the Reserve Bank to combat inflation.
A report said MPs believed criticism of Chalmers reflected concerns about spending, media criticism, midterm dissatisfaction and factional disputes.
Chalmers acknowledged on a podcast that his budget measures were causing pain and said he should make more time for colleagues.
Cabinet ministers met to discuss possible budget savings, and Watt called for leaks and undermining of Chalmers to stop.
- Minister
- Murray Watt
- Treasurer
- Jim Chalmers
- Budget update
- Expected in December 2026
- Coalition measures Watt said were blocked
- $10 billion
- Labor primary vote in Resolve poll
- 28%, down from 34.6% at the previous election
- Home battery program
- $7 billion program; more than 600,000 systems installed
2 sources
What people are saying
Yes, I would
I think that Jim Chalmers is doing an excellent job as a treasurer in what are very difficult economic times.
It’s pretty obvious that there are all sorts of people making all sorts of comments.
unlike most of the advanced economies, we haven’t had a single quarter of negative growth.