Overview

• Donald Trump's tariff policies have caused significant global market volatility, heavily influencing Australia's federal election debate.
• Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers criticized the Coalition for proposing 'secret cuts' that he claims would harm essential services like health and education.
• Coalition Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor pledged to legally guarantee spending on essential services but faced scrutiny for not explicitly ruling out cuts.
• Chalmers rejected claims of an impending recession, emphasizing Australia's economic resilience under Labor's management, including budget surpluses and low unemployment.
• Both parties framed the election as a choice between economic stability under Labor and fiscal discipline under the Coalition, with cost-of-living challenges central to their arguments.