# Chalmers urged to review record spending and cut low-priority programmes

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/jim-chalmers-says-tell-me-what-to-cut-as-if-its-hard-to-trim-record-breaking-government-spending-challenge-accepted-pvo/
- Published: 2026-10-26T00:32:02+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T00:47:22+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16238095/Jim-Chalmers-tell-cut.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Commonwealth spending reached 26.9% of GDP.
- The article calls for tighter scrutiny of grants and subsidies.
- It proposes targeted electricity support instead of blanket rebates.

## Summary

The article responds to Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ challenge to critics of government spending to identify cuts, arguing that deciding what taxpayers can afford is his responsibility. Its author says Commonwealth spending is at a 40-year high outside the pandemic and calls for lower-priority programmes to be reviewed.

The proposed cuts include cancelling grants without a clear national purpose, scrutinising industry subsidies and ending blanket electricity rebates in favour of targeted help. The article cites spending of 26.9 per cent of GDP in the latest financial year, $6 million pledged to Marrickville Golf Club and $16.8 billion in industry budgetary assistance in 2024/25; it also calls for weak infrastructure projects to be cancelled.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.