Coalition wages ‘culture wars’ as Labor focuses on issues, Jim Chalmers says
The Coalition is focused on waging “culture wars” instead of tackling the rising cost of living, Jim Chalmers says while pushing back against polling results suggesting Australians hold bleak expectations for 2025.
The Treasurer urged optimism at the end of 2024 as Australia waved goodbye to a year defined by high housing, grocery and energy costs.
Polls at the time indicated Australians were more optimistic than at the end of 2023.
But as January draws to an end – and the looming federal election draws nearer – the first political polls of the new year have shown mixed results for the government.
The latest Resolve poll, carried out for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, showed 46 per cent of voters expected their real wages to fall this year, while 50 per cent expected inflation to worsen.
Peter Dutton’s popularity has grown, with 39 per cent preferring him prime minister over Anthony Albanese, who came in at 34 per cent.
The two were tied at the end of last year.
Asked about the latest poll on Thursday, Mr Chalmers said the Albanese government “is completely focused on cost of living”.
Camera IconA key poll shows Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is edging upward in popularity. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia
Camera IconThe same poll showed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Dutton were tied last year. NewsWire / Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia
“It beggars belief that our opponents are focused on picking culture wars about all kinds of issues,” he told the ABC.
“The government … has been very focused on the cost of living throughout. That’s why we have made substantial progress on inflation.”
But Mr Chalmers conceded the findings were reflective of the times.
“First of all, it does reflect the genuine pressures that people are under,” he said.
“When it comes to the economy in aggregate, we know that that progress doesn’t always immediately translate to how people are feeling and faring in the economy and there’s a political element to that.
“We understand that, and we’re responding to those cost-of-living pressures with the tax cuts, the energy bill relief, and all of the other ways we’re getting wages moving again and helping people deal with these kinds of pressures.”
Camera IconTreasurer Jim Chalmers says the Resolve poll ‘does reflect the genuine pressures that people are under’. Dan Peled / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
The latest Guardian Essential poll told a different story to Resolve’s survey.
It found voters held brighter outlooks for 2025, feeling better about the direction of the country and their personal finances.
The poll showed Mr Albanese was performing best with younger Australians, with 54 per cent of those aged 18-34 giving him a positive rating.
In contrast, only 36 per cent of those over 55 gave him a positive rating.
Meanwhile, Mr Dutton’s ratings slipped into the negative.
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