Stop undermining Jim Chalmers, environment minister urges Labor colleagues

‘It’s pretty obvious that there are all sorts of people making all sorts of comments,’ Murray Watt says after budget savings meeting

The environment minister, Murray Watt, has urged ministers to stop undermining the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, as Labor struggles to sell its budget and looks to cut popular clean energy subsidies to help with the fight against inflation.

Cabinet ministers met again on Monday to discuss potential budget savings to be included in next month’s mid-year update, part of efforts to reducing spending to ease pressure on the economy.

Watt was asked about speculation of tension between the treasurer and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and whether he’d like to see an end to “undermining and leaking” against Chalmers.