# Stop undermining treasurer Jim Chalmers, environment minister urges colleagues

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/stop-undermining-treasurer-jim-chalmers-environment-minister-urges-colleagues/
- Published: 2026-11-09T05:47:49+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T06:03:18+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/nov/09/stop-undermining-treasurer-jim-chalmers-environment-minister-urges-colleagues
- Topics: Environment, Government, Politics, Science, World

## Key points

- Murray Watt defended Jim Chalmers amid internal criticism.
- Labor is weighing changes to clean energy subsidies.
- Polls show Labor’s support has fallen since the election.

## Summary

Environment minister Murray Watt has urged Labor colleagues to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers, saying he is doing an excellent job amid difficult economic conditions. His comments come as the government seeks budget savings to ease inflationary pressure and faces speculation about tensions between Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Cabinet’s expenditure review committee is considering savings for a mid-year budget update expected in December, following a Reserve Bank interest rate rise. Potential changes include means testing the $7bn home battery subsidy, which has supported more than 600,000 installations, and reducing electric vehicle incentives that have cost more than forecast. Polls also show Labor’s primary vote has fallen, while Watt says opposition parties are blocking measures the government says could save $10bn.

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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.