Albanese government faces internal tension as Treasury advice reportedly blocked and tax reforms spark leaks
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Environment Minister Murray Watt called for an end to leaks against Treasurer Jim Chalmers amid reports that Treasury’s independent advice on tax proposals is being sidelined, while new polling shows Labor’s primary vote slipping.
Environment Minister Murray Watt urged an end to “undermining and leaking” against Treasurer Jim Chalmers, saying the government must work together during “very difficult times.” Watt praised Chalmers’ handling of the economy and noted that internal comments were undermining the treasurer’s work.
According to a source cited by The Australian, departmental experts have been excluded from providing independent commentary on the confidential “pink papers” that traditionally accompany Treasury’s assessments of tax policy. The practice, which had been in place for decades, was reportedly abandoned just before the last budget, leaving only the treasurer and Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino to receive unfiltered Treasury input. The Department of Finance and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet continue to supply written notes, but their staff lack the same tax expertise. A former Treasury secretary described the change as “odd” if the pink papers are not jointly prepared by the three central agencies.
The internal strain comes as new polling shows Labor’s primary vote falling to 28 percent, down from 34.6 percent at the previous election, while the Coalition slipped to 22 percent and One Nation held at 25 percent in one survey, and to 26 percent for Labor with the Coalition at 25 percent and One Nation at 28 percent in another. The results arrived as the cabinet’s expenditure review committee met to identify urgent budget savings ahead of the mid-year budget update.
Potential cuts could affect popular clean-energy subsidies, including a $7 billion home-battery scheme that has expanded beyond its original $2 billion estimate after 600,000 installations, and subsidies for electric vehicles. Public-service departments are also under review after a directive to find up to 5 percent in savings from lower-priority spending. Watt accused the opposition of blocking $10 billion in savings measures, citing stalled reforms to the private-health-insurance rebate for over-65s.
Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino told ABC News Breakfast that the government is undertaking “one-in-25-year” tax reform and emphasized the need for unified action within the party. Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton echoed support for Chalmers, noting the treasurer’s efforts to curb inflation and assist first-home buyers, and said the caucus broadly backs the treasurer despite the leaks.