Always in a position to see that it is suitably funded, Treasury is bulking itself up in this budget.
We wonder why, and didn’t find much more about it in the budget papers for 2024/25.
Jim Chalmers third budget is his best so far, an icon in a future in which Chalmers oversees another 20 or 30 years of budgets. More than half as prime minister or president.
At Treasury everyone needs to be on board, as surely basically all staff will be by now. Jim is charging hard and Labor’s and Albanese’s second election victory in 2024 or 2025 looks like being in large part down to Chalmers.
Just don’t go cheering for Chalmers too hard. Look back, not that long ago the Treasurer was a right old chump.
Jim Chalmers is the chap who set out to roll Albanese midway through Albo’s single 3 year term as opposition leader from 2019 to 2022.
Jim Chalmers, Logan’s very own boys own superhero mucked the whole thing up. Jim misread the room, misread the mood and bought little all that new to the conversation.
Setting out to show himself to the world as a politician with an unreliable mind, Jim Chalmers succeeded. It was daft and lucky for him all this turned out to be a short-lived and barely remembered drama.
Anthony Albanese gave him a reprieve. Chalmers held onto his job as shadow treasurer.
Replacing Jim boy with Tanya Plibersek might have proven the better option and sure would have been popular.
Instead Albo did the decent thing and placed immense faith and trust in Chalmers to dig deep, work hard and work even smarter.
Jim Chalmers 2024 budget looks a lot like a winner.
Staffing at Treasury will rise by 100 to 1590 next year and its budget will increase $44 million to $414 million.
Next year is an election year and there will be an almighty pile-on from a demanding cabinet.