House debates Questions without Notice

Labor Government

Wednesday, 16 September 2026 House of Representatives

Jim Chalmers

Jim Chalmers Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer

2:27 pm

Of course I withdraw. The specific matters raised in the honourable member's question did not come up in the briefing that we did earlier in the week on the Intergenerational report. But, as I said at the start of my answer, I do take my colleagues seriously and I take our economic challenges seriously as well. It's why I make myself available for discussions with the parliamentary party. It's a very informed and a very engaged group, and I will continue to engage with them, in good faith, about the most important issues.

It's also true that people are under pressure, and that's why this whole government, from the backbench to the frontbench, is focused on inflation and productivity and the global environment. Where that's coming together right now is in the fallout from the war in Iran, which is playing out in higher cost of living and also higher borrowing costs as well. Because we take these issues seriously, we're managing the budget in the most responsible way that we can—a much more responsible way than it was managed by our predecessors. It's why we've got the broadest productivity package of any government in decades. It's why we've got an ambitious tax reform package, which is about cutting income taxes for workers and giving first home buyers a fair go in a housing market which has locked them out for too long. It's why we've got a big emphasis on fuel security and the energy transition. It's why we're providing cost-of-living help via the tax system, via bulk billing and via higher wages and other wages as well.

Because we take our economic challenges seriously, the Intergenerational report that we release on Monday will be really important. That's what the briefing that I did with my colleagues was all about, earlier in the week. This country does face serious economic risks, but it—

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