Environment minister urges Labor colleagues to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers

Summary

Environment Minister Murray Watt has urged ministers to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers and to refrain from leaking against him to the media. Watt made the call as Labor struggles to sell its budget. Cabinet ministers met on Monday to discuss potential budget savings for next month's mid-year update, part of efforts to reduce spending and ease pressure on the economy. The Guardian reports that the government is looking to cut popular clean energy subsidies to help fight inflation. Watt said after the budget savings meeting that it was pretty obvious there were all sorts of people making all sorts of comments.

Timeline

1. ABC

   8 Nov 2026, 20:06 UTCSource ↗

   ABC's live blog reports that Murray Watt urged colleagues not to leak against Treasurer Jim Chalmers to the media.

2. The Guardian

   9 Nov 2026, 05:47 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Murray Watt urged ministers to stop undermining Treasurer Jim Chalmers as Labor struggles to sell its budget and looks to cut popular clean energy subsidies.