Treasurer Jim Chalmers promises cost-of-living support in March 25 budget

Jim Chalmers has delivered a pre-budget speech, where he has indicated there will be more cost-of-living support for Australians in next Tuesday’s budget.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has flagged Australians struggling with the cost of living crisis will get more support in next week’s pre-election budget.

In a pre-budget speech on Tuesday, Mr Chalmers outlined the pressures the budget would face, but made it clear the financial pressures on Australians were front of mind for the government.

However he wouldn’t commit to whether this would include an extension of the $300 energy rebate the government announced in 2024.

“What I can say is that there’ll be more cost of living help in the budget, the form of that will be made clear to you and over the course of the next week or so,” he said.

“It will be meaningful and substantial, and it will be responsible.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has promised cost of living help in his pre-budget address in Brisbane. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Later on ABC TV’s 7.30 program, Mr Chalmers reinforced that his fourth budget would include measures to help, but said inflation would not be affected.

“Cost-of-living help will be meaningful but responsible,” he said.

“It will recognise that even though we’ve made a lot of progress together, we’ve got growth rebounding solidly, inflation down, real wages up, unemployment low, we’ve got the debt down.

“They’re all good developments but people are still doing it tough and that’s why there will be cost-of-living relief in our fourth budget just like in the first three, but it will be really responsible once again.”

Hijacked by climate protesters

Climate protesters have heckled Jim Chalmers during a major pre-budget speech, urging Labor to stop opening new coal and gas mines.

The Treasurer was addressing the Queensland Media Club on Tuesday when two protesters, Brisbane locals from activist group Rising Tide, separately walked on stage holding signs that read: “No new coal or gas”.

One of the protesters, Paul Gabbert, 63, demanded Labor to stop funding the resource projects.

“Mr Chalmers, Australia cannot afford any more climate disasters. When will the Labor Party stop funding more coal and gas projects?”

Two protesters interrupted Treasurer Jim Chalmers pre-budget speech at the Queensland Media Club. Picture: NewsWire/ Tertius Pickard

The interloper called on Labor to dump new coal and gas projects. Picture: NewsWire/ Tertius Pickard

Mr Chalmers appeared to say “OK, off you go,” before the man was escorted off stage.

A second protester, Clancy, 23, also walked onstage shouting a similar message before she was taken off stage by security.

Mr Chalmers laughed off the interruption and continued with his speech.

Asked later when Labor would stop approving new coal and gas projects, Mr Chalmers said the government would continue to balance “environmental considerations” with the “impact on communities, (and) impact on the national economy”.

He said there was a role for gas in Australia’s renewables dominated grid, which Labor aims to boost to 82 per cent by 2030.

Currently about 25 per cent of Australia’s electricity generation comes from solar, wind and hydro.

“What we’re trying to do is to strike the right balance, recognising that we can make ourselves an indispensable part of the global net zero economy, at the same time as we leverage some of our traditional strengths,” he said.

“There is a role, for example, for gas in the energy transformation. We’ve been upfront about that, so we’ll continue to strike the right balance.”

A second protester also walked on stage before she was removed by security. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

In a press release shared by Riding Tide following the tirade, Clancy said the protest was in part inspired by the weather chaos caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred earlier in March.

“While we welcome the federal government providing $1.2bn to help pay for the recovery effort from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, these costs on the taxpayer will keep going up unless they stops making the problem worse by approving new coal and gas projects,” the university student said.

Chalmers addresses leadership question

Mr Chalmers also brushed a question on whether he had aspirations to lead the Labor Party.

Originally asked whether he believed “federal Labor would do better if it had a leader from Queensland,” Mr Chalmers paid tribute to Anthony Albanese as someone with a “practical pragmatism that Queenslanders appreciate”.

“Queenslanders are practical people, they’re pragmatic, they’re problem solvers, they’re middle of the road. They’re not especially ideological. And I think that’s a description that applies equally to the Prime Minister,” he said.

“The Prime Minister really enthusiastically believes in the future of our state. He believes in its contribution to the national economy and the nation more broadly.”

Directly asked if he had “aspirations to become leader one day yourself,” he said: “No”.

Originally published as Treasurer Jim Chalmers promises cost-of-living support in March 25 budget