‘Hopeless and a liar’: Jim Chalmers and Senior Liberal MP Trade Fiery Accusations in Wild QT
During a heated question time, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Liberal MP Alex Hawke clashed fiercely after a tense exchange over the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to hold interest rates steady.
Clash in Parliament
Alex Hawke, a close ally of Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, launched a strong verbal attack on Treasurer Jim Chalmers, calling him “hopeless and a liar” after Chalmers blamed the Coalition for the central bank’s rate decision.
The confrontation caused uproar in Parliament as members traded accusations and points of order flew across the chamber.
Chalmers Responds to Claims
Chalmers, visibly animated, pushed back against Ley’s statement that the Reserve Bank had criticized government spending when holding the cash rate at 3.60 percent.
“The Leader of the Opposition said completely untruthfully, dishonestly, that the Reserve Bank yesterday called out the government’s spending when it came to the decision that they took independently at the board level. That never happened,” said Dr. Chalmers.
He accused the Opposition of spreading what he described as an “egregious lie,” insisting the former Coalition government bore responsibility for ongoing economic challenges.
“From time to time, reluctantly, it is on us to point out the egregious lies being told by that opposite about our economy,” Dr. Chalmers added.
Growing Tension in the Chamber
The fiery exchange prompted multiple objections and procedural interruptions, with both Sussan Ley and Leader of the House Tony Burke rising to challenge one another during the escalating confrontation.
Author’s Summary
The clash between Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Alex Hawke turned question time into chaos, underscoring the deepening tension in Parliament over responsibility for Australia's economic direction.