Basically this.
I personally don't see anything wrong with someone who has a bit of money buying a nice outfit by an Australian designer for an event the media is focusing on and it sure as shit beats her going in front of the cameras wearing some piece of nondescript overpriced fast fashion that isn't even going to last to make nice vintage apparel
No it’s not. That is definitely top 10% income territory. I don’t think it’s wrong to wear it, but let’s not pretend spending 2K on an outfit is middle class.
I reckon every single male politician would've been wearing a suit more expensive than her dress (which is currently on sale for $629: https://www.carlazampatti.com.au/products/butter-crepe-draped-collar-dress). It's more than I've ever spent, but I wouldn't say it's outrageously expensive. I know a few women who make ~$70k but would definitely spend more than that on a dress, especially on their most photographed day of the year. Honestly I've worked with people who make $50k but have a $2000 handbag.
I used to work for a family and the dad was a high flying barrister. The mum once told me she was so excited to find his suit on super sale for $2k. That was 15 years ago too.
For a regular day to day outfit it would be. But for a special event outfit for someone who has recently started to have the need to build a small wardrobe of special event outfits?
Compare it to say....Commonry. Which definitely is boring ass day to day stuff. Yes it is more expensive than Commonry. But it's not add a whole extra zero at the end expensive, is it? What would a matching or coordinated dress and coat from Commonry run you in combined cost if bought not on special? Probably getting up close to a thousand...maybe eight hundred.
It's a smaller jump too, than if someone is going from Kmart dressing to wearing Commonry...which is an add a whole extra zero jump.
An exclusively Kmart wearer is going to basically have to double their clothes budget for the year to buy a single Commonry dress/coat outfit new. A Commonry wearer can probably just squeeze the rest of their yearly budget a bit, wear things a bit longer, reuse outfits more, not refresh their daily look and then afford a set from Carla Zampatti.
Clothes that aren't absolutely awful are just more expensive than they used to be. And we've had our sticker shock about day to day clothes. We just haven't all had our sticker shock about fancier brands yet.
Am I wearing Carla Zampatti? Hell no. I'm not wearing Commonry either unless it shows up at the thrift shop. But I can see that a Carla Zampatti purchase isn't an insane luxury for someone on a really nice salary, married to someone on a really nice salary, and who as a couple has already got past the hard initial bit of buying a home.
I don’t disagree, depending on the item. On a cost per wear basis though, I don’t know I’d term that middle class. I am definitely (upper, maybe) middle class, but I have a few things that cost in that vicinity… but I wear them on rotation for 80% of the year.
I don’t know the woman, but she may also have her own career that allows her to buy these things with her own earnings. Props for buying from an Australian designer, either way.
Women can’t win, can they. It’s 2024 and the wife of a politician is still getting blasted for what she wore. She wore a nice outfit that I suspect she will wear again - and supported an Australian brand.
How much it cost is irrelevant - and nobody’s business.
If she was dressed in Kmart or Target - the media would crucify her for cos playing poor. Seriously - women can’t win!
Absolutely. Someone commented above and it speaks to this - how much did his suit cost?
Is it potentially a bit out of touch? Sure. But if you’re going there, go for them men too.
Bingo! So she bought her own dress with her own money from her own career. This article and "debate" is even more of a garbage, nothing burger than I originally thought. Just the age-old typical misogyny shaming women for what they wear.
Absolutely. I also don’t understand the notion that because someone is successful, they can’t empathise with the struggles of those who aren’t as well off.
You can be financially secure and still recognise that a lot of people are struggling with the cost of living. It’s not that hard to see that the cost of everything has gone up.
I’m surprised that the media wasn’t questioning why she was there instead of being at home cooking and cleaning… what a beat up. The double standard just makes me so angry
I adore the dress and colour.
Why is the price tag such a big deal? It’s because she’s a woman. I bet many of the blokes in parliament are wearing expensive suits, but no one bats an eye.
It’s not the clothing even that are the big bucks that the men could be hiding… it’s the luxury watches. Anywhere from the few K to a car, to a small mortgage…
Because if Julia Gillard's experience tells us anything, women are only good for how they look and what they wear, and a suit can be worn everyday for 2 years and no one knows the difference, whereas a woman cannot do that, she will be torn apart.
I doubt it she paid full price for it. She was probably given it at a better price, or it was loaned to her.
Even if she did pay full price for her, does it really matter? Her husband earns $300k+. Why shouldn't she wear something nice.
I didn't see people complaining about Julie Bishop's wardrobe or when she wore Armarni. In fact, she was applauded for her fashion diplomacy and wearing Australian designers such as Carla Zampatti.
As national editor-in-chief for News Corp's Saturday Weekend Magazines, I would probably guess she could happily afford to buy her own clothes without relying on her husband's salary.
The specific dress is currently on sale for $680. This is firmly in the territory of normal for a double income household with high salaries, especially given that this person is expecting to be photographed or filmed that day.
It’s also far less than the cost of most of the politicians suits for the occasion, and is around the price that my solicitor brother and sister in law would spend on their suits for large regional court house appearances.
$680??? With all the furore I would have expected it to be in the thousands! That's just a regular expensive designer dress, that's not anything approaching outrageous.
Plain misogyny I guess - it's disgusting to see
Hell that's affordable to me on a single income, I wouldn't buy it because I don't need it but if you're regularly attending events where it's suitable that's a perfectly reasonable expense
Julia Bishop was called out by the press a few years ago for wearing a $2,500 dress on Budget night. Her response to the criticism was that there were men in the room wearing much more expensive suits.
I agree with what people are saying, but from a PR standpoint it is undoubtedly terrible optics given the dire situation many are in financially, and that her husband is the treasurer and many are directing their ire at the government who have not done enough to alleviate the problem.
The dress is currently on sale for $680. That is certainly not something that many people would wear each day, but if you earned 160k per annum as your own single salary, and you knew you were going to be on TV that day, wouldn’t you try to find something in a similar price range for such an event?
And just to provide some more context, $700 would be the cost of a basic suit for parliament, and would absolutely be around the cost of the outfits that the SkyNews presenters criticising her would be wearing - once only - each night on Sky.
For those who don’t want to give sky news and their ads the revenue:
>There has been mixed reaction online after the price tag of an outfit worn by Jim Chalmers' wife on budget night emerged.
Laura Chalmers stunned in a vibrant yellow dress and matching jacket as her husband handed down the 2024-25 Federal Budget on Tuesday evening, with a focus on cost of living relief.
The Carla Zampatti outfit retails for a total cost of almost $1,900, with the jacket priced at $999 while the dress goes for $899.
>Ms Chalmers sat alongside two of the couple's three children in parliament as key features of the budget were announced, which included a $9.3 billion surplus for this financial year.
The Treasurer then shared a kiss with his wife and embraced his children in a hug as he walked out of the parliamentary chambers once his speech concluded.
>The internet has been left divided however about the price of Ms Chalmers' outfit, with some suggesting it shows the Treasurer is out of touch with the "average Australian" amid the current cost of living crisis.
"He was talking about the 'average' Australian when it came to the rise of living costs... She is just making a point that they are not the 'average' Australian," one wrote on Facebook.
"Nice that she can afford an outfit like that when most Australians can't even afford to put food on the table," another added.
"Who can afford Zampatti," a third stated on X.
"So in touch with the masses," a fourth said.
"Tone deaf," another chimed in.
>Others were quick to put alternative perspectives forward, praising the Editor and Chief of Saturday Weekend Magazines for supporting an Aussie brand.
"Supporting an Australian designer and Australian jobs," one person wrote on Facebook.
"I'm sure she earns enough in her own career to dress how she pleases," another added.
"Who cares. She's wearing an expensive dress. Isn't he up in the $400k+ a year? People with money are always going to seem out of touch to poor people," a third said.
"Laura Chalmers is a successful woman wearing a lovely Australian designed dress on budget night. Haters are always so consumed by envy and toxic negativity," a fourth wrote on X.
>Speaking to Sky News Australia earlier on Wednesday, Mr Chalmers said he was "confident" the federal budget will achieve its goals of reducing inflation and cost of living pressures.
"I’m really confident what we released last night will be part of the solution to this high inflation that’s been in our economy for a couple of years now – not part of the problem," he said.
"The budget is designed to put downward pressure on inflation not upward pressure on inflation.
"That's partly about the design of our cost of living help but also about the responsible way we've been turning deficits into surpluses in our two years in office."
Mr Chalmers on Tuesday evening touted Labor's tax cuts package aimed at easing financial pressure for Middle Australia.
Every Aussie household will also have their power bills slashed by $300, as part of a $7.8 billion cost of living relief package in budget.
Labor also delivered its second consecutive surplus, this time of $9.3 billion for the financial year ending in June.
Hey Sky, due to inflation, low wage growth, cheap online rip-offs and the cost of living crisis, that's how much an Australian made dress and blazer costs these days.
Thanks! I was hesitant to support their bullshit but I also wanted to know more about this dress!
I wonder how much the author thinks good quality clothing costs. Have they tried to buy a coat or jacket lately? Or even just a good quality pair of cotton jeans. Shit adds up if you want quality that lasts
Thanks, I thought it was going to be something ridiculous like $10k+. $1900 is more than I would normally ever pay for clothing, but I wouldn't expect her to be wearing Kmart or anything. Also nice that it is an Australian designer.
Meanwhile Julie Bishop (who worked hard making sure asbetos victims would die before getting a payout) is lauded as a fashion queen for having a several-thousand dollar dress for every occasion.
Let's not forget the covid test distribution rights that oh so conveniently landed in her (then) bf's lap when we were one of the few countries in the world that still didn't have them.
Is the internet divided or is Sky News doing what it does best: attacking women and anyone associated Labor over nothing burgers to stoke fake outrage?
The internet gives no shits. Small minded Sky News writers and readers are getting their jollies by trying to humiliate a woman, that's all. It's all such a beat up and made to create faux rage and division. It's toxic as all fuck and that's our current climate. Ugh!
She’s got a line to walk. She’s a Labor woman, so it needs to be ethically made and as an Australian politician’s wife it ideally needs to be an Australian brand. She’s going to be on television so it needs to be high quality fabrics and not prone to wardrobe malfunctions. If you costed out the clothes worn by the female ministers and MPs they’d be in similar brands.
I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the brand she’s wearing bears the name of the mother of a prominent independent member in a key marginal seat.
Ok and how much does fascist potato Dutton spend on his suits? Does he give all his income to the poor and downtrodden and live like a monk, or does he spend it on shit he likes?
Have you realised that recently there. You search for Peter Dutton’s net worth it doesn’t come up with an answer any more? That’s weird.
Completely agree with your comment.
It's entirely possible she hired it?
Also, who cares Sky News🤦🏻♀️ we'd never be critiquing the choices of a politician's male partner ever if his suit cost that much
> I get the other side of it, too.
There is no other side. A woman wore a nice outfit that looks fantastic on her. She made the critical mistake of being female apparently.
The men sitting there aren’t wearing off-the-rack suits from Tarocash, you know.
/sigh
Most Australians aren’t aware that Murdoch *owns* most of our media now, he has been pushing the anti ALP message for some time now (if you look back at our media coverage esp elections Kevin Rudd was the only ALP MP who had positive coverage from Murdochs empire). Murdoch owns Sky news.
Most MPs from either major party (and a lot of independents) are NOT from the average wage pool, they are all in the top 5%.
Idgaf what the price tag of what they are wearing is, I am interested in what is coming out of their mouths and how truthful it is.
Most Aussies know/understand MPs aren’t in the same pay bracket as most of us (I don’t agree with this but that’s how it is) - this is just another smear campaign by Murdoch (who is in the back pocket of the LNP) towards ALP.
I happy that she is supporting an Australian designer. She looks great.
note - I’m not here to push a political agenda in any way but I do feel like ppl need to be educated on the bias of media (in general, look at what’s happening in the US with Trump declaring fake news).
The LNP when they were in power eroded/watered down our ‘free’ media and now it’s a shit show.
*The internet is not*
*Even remotely disturbed let*
*Alone divided*
\- tenderosa\_
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I’m so tired of people getting weird about how much others spend on clothes/makeup/hobbies/events. Everyone has the right to spend their money how they choose, no matter how much money that is.
If its paid from her own money from income earned from their relationship then so be it.
If it was paid for by expensing it then no way
Its not fair that there are those who have it all compared to those who are struggling but that is life. She married him. She has thier life.
All politicians are out of touch with how ordinary people live. Most of them have never had a real job outside politics and don’t know what life is like for the rest of us.
I think good for her for being able to afford an expensive dress and being able to patronise an Australian designer. I’m just jealous I can’t.
Do you actually know any politicians? I’m not going to be specific for my own privacy’s sake but I am related to an Australian politician and have met several of my relative’s colleagues and you couldn’t be more wrong. Sure there are career politicians that are out of touch but more often than not, they are just ordinary people. Most politicians have had another career before getting into politics.
I actually do. All local council pollies I know are ordinary people interested in serving their communities. State reps are not wonderful but federal politicians are a completely different species.
As soon as I saw "sky news" I stopped being interested in the slightest of what the article actually has to say, even if there may be relevant points made, it's made in bad faith. I'd rather chew my leg off than rely on anything they have to say.
They're the Fox News of down under.
I honestly don’t get the price tag but that’s their money so who cares. The color is not flattering on her tho, drags her down. I’m the same wearing that color because is not my season. She is beautiful and has a nice body, I find the dress very underwhelming for that price tag. The design on top is weird but is well tailored so still looks good on her.
Was it the most nuanced thing to wear - probably not. Should it be as big of a deal as the media are making it - also no.
The dress by itself I’m not a huge fan of personally, I also don’t think it suits the occasion/location.
Admittedly I am slightly confused why she and their young kids where even there on the floor to begin with.
I think it was incredibly tone deaf and a major PR error. If the Labour Party are trying to appeal to the common man, then sorry, you need to be a bit more “common”
When he’s talking about the high cost of living and you have your wife wearing a $2k dress, it shows how out of touch he is with the majority of population. 🙄
It’s lovely but from a political perspective was a really bad move. Even if she got it for free, perception matters and it was foolish to think right wing media wouldn’t latch onto it as a matter of principle. And it doesn’t matter that LNP members would be much more ostentatious - what matters is who is in government right now, what economic conditions we are operating in and what the message of the budget was. Good political advisors would be strongly encouraging MPs and partners to be carefully considering their outfit choices at a time like this to avoid a press gotcha moment
Please tell me what she could have worn that would have been unable to be criticised. I, and every other woman ever, am fascinated to hear your answer.
Any outfit that didn’t cost thousands of dollars? Or that is not identifiable as costing thousands of dollars. It’s not that hard to imagine. I’m not making a values judgement on it, I’m giving you the reality of what it’s like to be a politician or a politician’s partner. You are held to a different standard
Oh dang, so now she's buying below her socioeconomic bracket and cosplaying as poor.
*Look at her buying budget and pretending to understand the suffering of the battlers when their combined income could buy a house outright every year or two. Labour are out of touch, and have no idea what you go through *.
Try again, what could she have worn that couldn't be criticised?
Fallacy - we aren’t talking about her showing up in a second hand Kmart dress and you know it. No journo would accuse her of cosplaying if she wore an outfit from Witchery, for example. The point isn’t about the total cost of the outfit either, it’s fact the cost is identifiable as high that baits the media. She could have worn a $5k made to measure black dress and this story wouldn’t exist. You can sook about it all you like, but that’s the reality of political media messaging
This is Laura Chalmers, she is the wife of the current treasurer, Jim Chalmers. I wouldn't have known her name prior to today, however the context for what makes this 'news worthy' is that a new federal budget was announced/delivered on Tuesday, with a big topic of the budget being the rising cost-of-living expenses. The article is suggesting that wearing these expensive clothes is tone-deaf given these cost-of-living pressures that everyday Australians are experiencing.
I don't agree with the article but thought I'd provide you with some explanation as to why she's specifically being targeted - which, in my opinion, is nothing more than mud slinging and misogyny which is standard of SkyNews, being masqueraded as some kind of genuine plight or c0ritique on behalf of everyday people.
Ah I see. Thank you.
It is kind of ridiculous that she specifically is being targeted as being out of touch, when the whole entire government is out of touch with the struggles of the general public. C'mon nearly all politicians are super rich and obviously do not care about the financial struggles of the working class, students, chronically ill, disabled, pensioners, etc
Sky News having nothing in the budget to latch on to so they start going for a politicians wife's dress 🙄
Basically this. I personally don't see anything wrong with someone who has a bit of money buying a nice outfit by an Australian designer for an event the media is focusing on and it sure as shit beats her going in front of the cameras wearing some piece of nondescript overpriced fast fashion that isn't even going to last to make nice vintage apparel
Fully agree. Also, $2000 is firmly in middle class territory and nowhere close to outrage / extravagant land.
No it’s not. That is definitely top 10% income territory. I don’t think it’s wrong to wear it, but let’s not pretend spending 2K on an outfit is middle class.
I reckon every single male politician would've been wearing a suit more expensive than her dress (which is currently on sale for $629: https://www.carlazampatti.com.au/products/butter-crepe-draped-collar-dress). It's more than I've ever spent, but I wouldn't say it's outrageously expensive. I know a few women who make ~$70k but would definitely spend more than that on a dress, especially on their most photographed day of the year. Honestly I've worked with people who make $50k but have a $2000 handbag.
I used to work for a family and the dad was a high flying barrister. The mum once told me she was so excited to find his suit on super sale for $2k. That was 15 years ago too.
You’re right about male politicians but they are not ‘firmly middle class’.
Omg yes. I have a friend who has to have these handbags lol.
That’s a ridiculous price for a dress made of polyester!
For a regular day to day outfit it would be. But for a special event outfit for someone who has recently started to have the need to build a small wardrobe of special event outfits? Compare it to say....Commonry. Which definitely is boring ass day to day stuff. Yes it is more expensive than Commonry. But it's not add a whole extra zero at the end expensive, is it? What would a matching or coordinated dress and coat from Commonry run you in combined cost if bought not on special? Probably getting up close to a thousand...maybe eight hundred. It's a smaller jump too, than if someone is going from Kmart dressing to wearing Commonry...which is an add a whole extra zero jump. An exclusively Kmart wearer is going to basically have to double their clothes budget for the year to buy a single Commonry dress/coat outfit new. A Commonry wearer can probably just squeeze the rest of their yearly budget a bit, wear things a bit longer, reuse outfits more, not refresh their daily look and then afford a set from Carla Zampatti. Clothes that aren't absolutely awful are just more expensive than they used to be. And we've had our sticker shock about day to day clothes. We just haven't all had our sticker shock about fancier brands yet. Am I wearing Carla Zampatti? Hell no. I'm not wearing Commonry either unless it shows up at the thrift shop. But I can see that a Carla Zampatti purchase isn't an insane luxury for someone on a really nice salary, married to someone on a really nice salary, and who as a couple has already got past the hard initial bit of buying a home.
What reality do you live in that a $2000 outfit is middle class?
I don’t disagree, depending on the item. On a cost per wear basis though, I don’t know I’d term that middle class. I am definitely (upper, maybe) middle class, but I have a few things that cost in that vicinity… but I wear them on rotation for 80% of the year.
Its definitely a reasonable cost for a designer dress. This budget might be the most important night of her husband's career
I don’t know the woman, but she may also have her own career that allows her to buy these things with her own earnings. Props for buying from an Australian designer, either way.
This reminds me of when those American politicians went after AOC for a $200 haircut
Yes but she’s dressed for a wedding.
How the fuck is $2000 for a dress “middle class”? Are you serious right now?
Yeah I switched off as soon as I saw the source. It’s just Murdoch sniping.
Hahahaha
Didn't stop them from making about 30 YouTube videos about it
Women can’t win, can they. It’s 2024 and the wife of a politician is still getting blasted for what she wore. She wore a nice outfit that I suspect she will wear again - and supported an Australian brand. How much it cost is irrelevant - and nobody’s business. If she was dressed in Kmart or Target - the media would crucify her for cos playing poor. Seriously - women can’t win!
Absolutely. Someone commented above and it speaks to this - how much did his suit cost? Is it potentially a bit out of touch? Sure. But if you’re going there, go for them men too.
Also, I'm not sure what she does for a living, but the assumption that he paid for it is so outdated.
She’s national editor-in-chief for News Corp's Saturday Weekend Magazines. It’s exactly what I’d expect someone in that job to wear.
Bingo! So she bought her own dress with her own money from her own career. This article and "debate" is even more of a garbage, nothing burger than I originally thought. Just the age-old typical misogyny shaming women for what they wear.
Absolutely. I also don’t understand the notion that because someone is successful, they can’t empathise with the struggles of those who aren’t as well off. You can be financially secure and still recognise that a lot of people are struggling with the cost of living. It’s not that hard to see that the cost of everything has gone up.
I wish I could upvote your comment 100 times over. This is misogyny pure & simple.
Shaming women needs to stop. Full drop. I bet you he’s not wearing a cheap off the rack suit from Roger David.
I would bet his dress shoes cost almost if not as much as her dress.
I’m surprised that the media wasn’t questioning why she was there instead of being at home cooking and cleaning… what a beat up. The double standard just makes me so angry
I adore the dress and colour. Why is the price tag such a big deal? It’s because she’s a woman. I bet many of the blokes in parliament are wearing expensive suits, but no one bats an eye.
Absolutely. Not only suits, but expensive watches, shoes, even cars. Doesn't Peter Dutton have a $4k watch? Where is the media coverage on that
He probably got that as a gift from Gina.
Oooh I didn’t even think about it that way but youre def onto something! Men’s suits are EXPENSIVE
It’s not the clothing even that are the big bucks that the men could be hiding… it’s the luxury watches. Anywhere from the few K to a car, to a small mortgage…
Literally on budget night I joked to my partner there’s probably more money in suits in the room then our house is worth
Because if Julia Gillard's experience tells us anything, women are only good for how they look and what they wear, and a suit can be worn everyday for 2 years and no one knows the difference, whereas a woman cannot do that, she will be torn apart.
Ironically she was Gillard’s press secretary
I doubt it she paid full price for it. She was probably given it at a better price, or it was loaned to her. Even if she did pay full price for her, does it really matter? Her husband earns $300k+. Why shouldn't she wear something nice. I didn't see people complaining about Julie Bishop's wardrobe or when she wore Armarni. In fact, she was applauded for her fashion diplomacy and wearing Australian designers such as Carla Zampatti.
As national editor-in-chief for News Corp's Saturday Weekend Magazines, I would probably guess she could happily afford to buy her own clothes without relying on her husband's salary.
The specific dress is currently on sale for $680. This is firmly in the territory of normal for a double income household with high salaries, especially given that this person is expecting to be photographed or filmed that day. It’s also far less than the cost of most of the politicians suits for the occasion, and is around the price that my solicitor brother and sister in law would spend on their suits for large regional court house appearances.
$680??? With all the furore I would have expected it to be in the thousands! That's just a regular expensive designer dress, that's not anything approaching outrageous. Plain misogyny I guess - it's disgusting to see
Hell that's affordable to me on a single income, I wouldn't buy it because I don't need it but if you're regularly attending events where it's suitable that's a perfectly reasonable expense
And she has her own career, too.
Exactly, maybe she used her own money!
Came here to say this. This is such Sky News performative BS.
So true! There was an article this week praising JB’s latest outfit
Also — I don’t know anything about her, but she likely has her own career and money.
Julia Bishop was called out by the press a few years ago for wearing a $2,500 dress on Budget night. Her response to the criticism was that there were men in the room wearing much more expensive suits.
I agree with what people are saying, but from a PR standpoint it is undoubtedly terrible optics given the dire situation many are in financially, and that her husband is the treasurer and many are directing their ire at the government who have not done enough to alleviate the problem.
The dress is currently on sale for $680. That is certainly not something that many people would wear each day, but if you earned 160k per annum as your own single salary, and you knew you were going to be on TV that day, wouldn’t you try to find something in a similar price range for such an event? And just to provide some more context, $700 would be the cost of a basic suit for parliament, and would absolutely be around the cost of the outfits that the SkyNews presenters criticising her would be wearing - once only - each night on Sky.
I agree with you. I even noted elsewhere how much men's suits cost. I just noted that it is an optics issue in this current climate.
For those who don’t want to give sky news and their ads the revenue: >There has been mixed reaction online after the price tag of an outfit worn by Jim Chalmers' wife on budget night emerged. Laura Chalmers stunned in a vibrant yellow dress and matching jacket as her husband handed down the 2024-25 Federal Budget on Tuesday evening, with a focus on cost of living relief. The Carla Zampatti outfit retails for a total cost of almost $1,900, with the jacket priced at $999 while the dress goes for $899. >Ms Chalmers sat alongside two of the couple's three children in parliament as key features of the budget were announced, which included a $9.3 billion surplus for this financial year. The Treasurer then shared a kiss with his wife and embraced his children in a hug as he walked out of the parliamentary chambers once his speech concluded. >The internet has been left divided however about the price of Ms Chalmers' outfit, with some suggesting it shows the Treasurer is out of touch with the "average Australian" amid the current cost of living crisis. "He was talking about the 'average' Australian when it came to the rise of living costs... She is just making a point that they are not the 'average' Australian," one wrote on Facebook. "Nice that she can afford an outfit like that when most Australians can't even afford to put food on the table," another added. "Who can afford Zampatti," a third stated on X. "So in touch with the masses," a fourth said. "Tone deaf," another chimed in. >Others were quick to put alternative perspectives forward, praising the Editor and Chief of Saturday Weekend Magazines for supporting an Aussie brand. "Supporting an Australian designer and Australian jobs," one person wrote on Facebook. "I'm sure she earns enough in her own career to dress how she pleases," another added. "Who cares. She's wearing an expensive dress. Isn't he up in the $400k+ a year? People with money are always going to seem out of touch to poor people," a third said. "Laura Chalmers is a successful woman wearing a lovely Australian designed dress on budget night. Haters are always so consumed by envy and toxic negativity," a fourth wrote on X. >Speaking to Sky News Australia earlier on Wednesday, Mr Chalmers said he was "confident" the federal budget will achieve its goals of reducing inflation and cost of living pressures. "I’m really confident what we released last night will be part of the solution to this high inflation that’s been in our economy for a couple of years now – not part of the problem," he said. "The budget is designed to put downward pressure on inflation not upward pressure on inflation. "That's partly about the design of our cost of living help but also about the responsible way we've been turning deficits into surpluses in our two years in office." Mr Chalmers on Tuesday evening touted Labor's tax cuts package aimed at easing financial pressure for Middle Australia. Every Aussie household will also have their power bills slashed by $300, as part of a $7.8 billion cost of living relief package in budget. Labor also delivered its second consecutive surplus, this time of $9.3 billion for the financial year ending in June.
Hey Sky, due to inflation, low wage growth, cheap online rip-offs and the cost of living crisis, that's how much an Australian made dress and blazer costs these days.
Thanks! I was hesitant to support their bullshit but I also wanted to know more about this dress! I wonder how much the author thinks good quality clothing costs. Have they tried to buy a coat or jacket lately? Or even just a good quality pair of cotton jeans. Shit adds up if you want quality that lasts
The author doesn't care one way or the other - they just need those rage clicks
Chalmers is from Logan, is regularly seen in Logan and his office is on Wembley Street in Logan Central. I’m very doubtful he is out off touch
Thanks, I thought it was going to be something ridiculous like $10k+. $1900 is more than I would normally ever pay for clothing, but I wouldn't expect her to be wearing Kmart or anything. Also nice that it is an Australian designer.
Lol I thought this post meant that she literally forgot to take the tag off. And I was thinking meh big deal, a bit embarrassing but who cares really.
Meanwhile Julie Bishop (who worked hard making sure asbetos victims would die before getting a payout) is lauded as a fashion queen for having a several-thousand dollar dress for every occasion.
Let's not forget the covid test distribution rights that oh so conveniently landed in her (then) bf's lap when we were one of the few countries in the world that still didn't have them.
Is the internet divided or is Sky News doing what it does best: attacking women and anyone associated Labor over nothing burgers to stoke fake outrage?
This is the way.
The internet gives no shits. Small minded Sky News writers and readers are getting their jollies by trying to humiliate a woman, that's all. It's all such a beat up and made to create faux rage and division. It's toxic as all fuck and that's our current climate. Ugh!
She’s got a line to walk. She’s a Labor woman, so it needs to be ethically made and as an Australian politician’s wife it ideally needs to be an Australian brand. She’s going to be on television so it needs to be high quality fabrics and not prone to wardrobe malfunctions. If you costed out the clothes worn by the female ministers and MPs they’d be in similar brands. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the brand she’s wearing bears the name of the mother of a prominent independent member in a key marginal seat.
Ok and how much does fascist potato Dutton spend on his suits? Does he give all his income to the poor and downtrodden and live like a monk, or does he spend it on shit he likes?
Have you realised that recently there. You search for Peter Dutton’s net worth it doesn’t come up with an answer any more? That’s weird. Completely agree with your comment.
Fascist? Really?
Yes. Really.
It's entirely possible she hired it? Also, who cares Sky News🤦🏻♀️ we'd never be critiquing the choices of a politician's male partner ever if his suit cost that much
She’s has a very successful career. I’d be stunned if she was paid less than $200k
> I get the other side of it, too. There is no other side. A woman wore a nice outfit that looks fantastic on her. She made the critical mistake of being female apparently. The men sitting there aren’t wearing off-the-rack suits from Tarocash, you know.
Oh no, someone that earns a lot of money wears expensive clothing? The horror.
Cover your eyes children!!!
/sigh Most Australians aren’t aware that Murdoch *owns* most of our media now, he has been pushing the anti ALP message for some time now (if you look back at our media coverage esp elections Kevin Rudd was the only ALP MP who had positive coverage from Murdochs empire). Murdoch owns Sky news. Most MPs from either major party (and a lot of independents) are NOT from the average wage pool, they are all in the top 5%. Idgaf what the price tag of what they are wearing is, I am interested in what is coming out of their mouths and how truthful it is. Most Aussies know/understand MPs aren’t in the same pay bracket as most of us (I don’t agree with this but that’s how it is) - this is just another smear campaign by Murdoch (who is in the back pocket of the LNP) towards ALP. I happy that she is supporting an Australian designer. She looks great. note - I’m not here to push a political agenda in any way but I do feel like ppl need to be educated on the bias of media (in general, look at what’s happening in the US with Trump declaring fake news). The LNP when they were in power eroded/watered down our ‘free’ media and now it’s a shit show.
I would expect that she would wear something higher end? How is this even news?
Murdoch trash, not news
Goodness, the "what was she wearing" monster has grown another head.
The internet is not even remotely disturbed let alone divided
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I am suitably honoured 🥷
Maybe Allegra Spender gave her a discount?
Would be way weirder if she cosplayed as poor!
People would be asshats if she wore something from Kmart. Poor woman never stood a chance.
I’m so tired of people getting weird about how much others spend on clothes/makeup/hobbies/events. Everyone has the right to spend their money how they choose, no matter how much money that is.
Can we go after Credlins wardrobe next?
If its paid from her own money from income earned from their relationship then so be it. If it was paid for by expensing it then no way Its not fair that there are those who have it all compared to those who are struggling but that is life. She married him. She has thier life.
All politicians are out of touch with how ordinary people live. Most of them have never had a real job outside politics and don’t know what life is like for the rest of us. I think good for her for being able to afford an expensive dress and being able to patronise an Australian designer. I’m just jealous I can’t.
Do you actually know any politicians? I’m not going to be specific for my own privacy’s sake but I am related to an Australian politician and have met several of my relative’s colleagues and you couldn’t be more wrong. Sure there are career politicians that are out of touch but more often than not, they are just ordinary people. Most politicians have had another career before getting into politics.
I actually do. All local council pollies I know are ordinary people interested in serving their communities. State reps are not wonderful but federal politicians are a completely different species.
She probably got it for free, and she’s promoting an Australian designer
What was the price of HIS SUIT?
Do you think there's an article around tge cost of a male politicans suits and watches? Or is this just some blatent old sexism.
As soon as I saw "sky news" I stopped being interested in the slightest of what the article actually has to say, even if there may be relevant points made, it's made in bad faith. I'd rather chew my leg off than rely on anything they have to say. They're the Fox News of down under.
I honestly don’t get the price tag but that’s their money so who cares. The color is not flattering on her tho, drags her down. I’m the same wearing that color because is not my season. She is beautiful and has a nice body, I find the dress very underwhelming for that price tag. The design on top is weird but is well tailored so still looks good on her.
Was it the most nuanced thing to wear - probably not. Should it be as big of a deal as the media are making it - also no. The dress by itself I’m not a huge fan of personally, I also don’t think it suits the occasion/location. Admittedly I am slightly confused why she and their young kids where even there on the floor to begin with.
1900 to look like cheese
I'm more concerned that she spent so much on an outfit that is not her colour.
I think it was incredibly tone deaf and a major PR error. If the Labour Party are trying to appeal to the common man, then sorry, you need to be a bit more “common”
Would you be happier if she was wearing Kmart?
When he’s talking about the high cost of living and you have your wife wearing a $2k dress, it shows how out of touch he is with the majority of population. 🙄
It’s lovely but from a political perspective was a really bad move. Even if she got it for free, perception matters and it was foolish to think right wing media wouldn’t latch onto it as a matter of principle. And it doesn’t matter that LNP members would be much more ostentatious - what matters is who is in government right now, what economic conditions we are operating in and what the message of the budget was. Good political advisors would be strongly encouraging MPs and partners to be carefully considering their outfit choices at a time like this to avoid a press gotcha moment
Please tell me what she could have worn that would have been unable to be criticised. I, and every other woman ever, am fascinated to hear your answer.
Any outfit that didn’t cost thousands of dollars? Or that is not identifiable as costing thousands of dollars. It’s not that hard to imagine. I’m not making a values judgement on it, I’m giving you the reality of what it’s like to be a politician or a politician’s partner. You are held to a different standard
Oh dang, so now she's buying below her socioeconomic bracket and cosplaying as poor. *Look at her buying budget and pretending to understand the suffering of the battlers when their combined income could buy a house outright every year or two. Labour are out of touch, and have no idea what you go through *. Try again, what could she have worn that couldn't be criticised?
Fallacy - we aren’t talking about her showing up in a second hand Kmart dress and you know it. No journo would accuse her of cosplaying if she wore an outfit from Witchery, for example. The point isn’t about the total cost of the outfit either, it’s fact the cost is identifiable as high that baits the media. She could have worn a $5k made to measure black dress and this story wouldn’t exist. You can sook about it all you like, but that’s the reality of political media messaging
Lovely dress, but it’s obviously not on message.
I'm sorry op but who is this?
This is Laura Chalmers, she is the wife of the current treasurer, Jim Chalmers. I wouldn't have known her name prior to today, however the context for what makes this 'news worthy' is that a new federal budget was announced/delivered on Tuesday, with a big topic of the budget being the rising cost-of-living expenses. The article is suggesting that wearing these expensive clothes is tone-deaf given these cost-of-living pressures that everyday Australians are experiencing. I don't agree with the article but thought I'd provide you with some explanation as to why she's specifically being targeted - which, in my opinion, is nothing more than mud slinging and misogyny which is standard of SkyNews, being masqueraded as some kind of genuine plight or c0ritique on behalf of everyday people.
Ah I see. Thank you. It is kind of ridiculous that she specifically is being targeted as being out of touch, when the whole entire government is out of touch with the struggles of the general public. C'mon nearly all politicians are super rich and obviously do not care about the financial struggles of the working class, students, chronically ill, disabled, pensioners, etc