Murray Watt urges Labor ministers to stop undermining Jim Chalmers

Australian Environment Minister Murray Watt has publicly called on his government colleagues to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers, according to reports by the Guardian, SMH.com.au, and The Age. Watt made the comments following a meeting on budget savings on Monday. The Guardian reported that Watt acknowledged it was obvious that people were making various comments as the Labor Party struggles to sell its budget. [1][2][3]

The Australian cabinet met again on Monday to discuss potential spending cuts to be included in next month's mid-year update, the Guardian reported. The government is seeking to reduce public spending to help lower pressure on the economy and fight inflation. The proposed measures include cutting popular clean energy subsidies. [1]

Chalmers has served as the treasurer in the Albanese government since 2022 and has been the Labor member of Parliament for the Queensland division of Rankin since 2013. Prior to entering parliament, he worked as chief of staff to former Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan, and served as executive director of the Chifley Research Centre. [4][5]

The internal budget tension follows earlier economic political challenges for the treasurer. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Chalmers denied in October 2026 that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had overruled him after Albanese intervened to delay an Australian Taxation Office ban on credit card payments. [6]