Treasurer Jim Chalmers used the Bernie Fraser oration at the Shine Dome in Canberra on the night of 13 October 2026 to deliver a blunt message about how to treat One Nation supporters: with respect rather than ridicule. Progressives, he argued, should stop talking down to the voters Pauline Hanson's party attracts, because a significant number of Australians see real value in its appeal.

His remarks came on a busy day in federal politics, with the prime minister explaining a last-minute delay to an Australian Taxation Office ban on credit card payments and the resources minister preparing to introduce legislation reserving a share of gas exports for domestic use.

Warning against scolding voters

Chalmers said many Australians are drawn to what he described as a promise of returning to better times. A significant number, in his telling, see appeal in the idea of going back to a more nostalgic version of the world they remember.

The treasurer's advice to progressives was not to treat those voters with contempt. "Our role as progressive people is not to scold those who see appeal in that message. It's not to mock them, dare I say cancel," he said.

He also argued that argument by data will not settle the matter. "We have all the facts to push back on this, but facts don't beat feelings. Feelings are as real as facts," Chalmers told the oration.

Chalmers on One Nation in government

While urging respect for One Nation voters, Chalmers was scathing about the party itself. He said Pauline Hanson would be a disaster in government, describing One Nation as "inexperienced, incompetent and incapable of managing the economy or our international reputation".

He also took aim at the far right's broader political approach, saying it depends on division and pessimism. "The far right strategy is to divide people and it's working; their goal is to talk down our economy," he said, arguing the negativity is intended to become self-fulfilling.

His prescription for the government was to meet the concern head on, by:

• •genuinely acknowledging the pressures people are under
• •delivering measures that make people's lives better

ATO credit card ban row

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that a planned ATO ban on credit card payments had been delayed by 24 hours after a direct plea from business. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Andrew McKellar raised the issue with him by text message.

"Andrew [McKellar] did text me last Thursday morning and by Friday morning we had an announcement," Albanese said on 13 October.

That announcement came from the treasurer on Friday morning: additional government funding to delay the credit card ban until at least the end of June.

Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson seized on the episode, framing it as evidence of tension inside the government. "The prime minister has a kink for punishing small businesses and a fetish for humiliating his treasurer," Wilson said. He argued the intervention showed "a consistent pattern of behaviour where the prime minister constantly goes in, overrides his treasurer, humiliates him in public", and said he suspected it would sour the relationship between Albanese and Chalmers.

McKellar, for his part, praised the prime minister when speaking at an ACCI event for having his door open to feedback after the changes were announced.

Gas reservation and other news

Resources minister Madeleine King was due to introduce legislation requiring gas companies to set aside 20% of exports for Australian use under a national gas reservation scheme. The bills would:

• •give the Australian Energy Regulator power to force companies to meet a target of 110% of demand each year
• •limit ministerial discretion
• •replace the Turnbull-era domestic gas security mechanism

In a National Press Club speech, King was to say a successful energy transition relies on a guaranteed supply of affordable gas, and that Australia must keep exporting gas and coal. She was also to tell the audience that no two countries will follow exactly the same pathway to reducing emissions.

On the economy, Chalmers responded to an IMF report warning of a clear and present danger to the world economy by pointing to domestic forecasts. Treasury, the Reserve Bank and economist forecasts suggest some "cautious confidence" is appropriate, he said. "They don't expect things to get a lot better in the next 12 weeks but they do expect things to get a bit better over" the next 12 months, he added, pointing to better inflation, lower unemployment and positive effects from tax reform.

Elsewhere, the government moved to distance itself from a proposed livestreamed execution in the United States. Australia's special envoy for international human rights, a former attorney-general, said Australia opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, for all people, and had raised the proposed execution livestream with the United States.

Albanese said he found the proposed streaming of a firing squad execution completely abhorrent. "If there is something, anything we can do, we will do. I assure you of that," he said, noting the government was receiving advice on its options.

The practical constraint, the government said, is that the eSafety commissioner does not at the minute have the power to force streaming platforms to block the stream, and the onus has been placed on the platforms themselves.

And on the Coalition side, Josh Frydenberg said on 7:30 that he has not closed the door to re-entering politics. Speaking as he promoted his memoir A Grateful Son, Frydenberg said he would run at the next election if he runs, but has not taken that decision. "That would involve running for a seat, winning it, joining the party room and then proceeding after that," he said.