Disinformation pages concoct spat between PM, treasurer

Matthew Elmas January 07, 2026
50ee872e ac22 4559 8614 fcfe93701571
A Facebook page that's a regular source of disinformation has fabricated quotes from Jim Chalmers. Image by Martin Ollman/AAP PHOTOS

WHAT WAS CLAIMED

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said the prime minister is wasting taxpayers' money.

OUR VERDICT

False. The quotes in the posts are fake.

AAP FACTCHECK - Treasurer Jim Chalmers has not publicly criticised the prime minister over public spending, despite claims being spread by a disinformation operation.

There is no record of any such criticism and the claim was posted by a known disinformation Facebook page.

The widely shared post claims that Treasurer Jim Chalmers has publicly criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over public spending, despite being a Labor minister.

"'LABOR IS WASTING TAXPAYER MONEY AND THEY DON'T THINK IT'S A PROBLEM'," the post quotes the treasurer as saying.

The post then claims communications minister Anika Wells publicly responded to the supposed criticism.

"In absolute desperation, Anika Wells snatched the microphone and fired back: 'We are helping Australians build a stronger nation!'

"Instantly, Chalmers slapped her down with a brutal five-word response," the post reads.

A screenshot of a Facebook post.
The posts are from Facebook pages that are based in Vietnam and spread political disinformation. (AAP/Facebook)

The quotes in the post have been fabricated. The treasurer has not publicly criticised the prime minister or the government over spending.

The post appears on a cluster of foreign-operated Facebook pages that are spreading false claims and fake quotes about Australian politicians, generating thousands of shares.

AAP FactCheck has previously debunked the accounts, which originally focused on disinformation about elite swimmers, but have recently pivoted to Australian politics.

Typically, the posts involve false claims or fabricated quotes about recognisable political figures, such as Pauline Hanson, reacting to political news or criticising ministers within the Albanese Labor government.

The posts direct users to a third-party website listed in the comments that often includes more false information.

Another post from the page focuses on the scrutiny of Ms Wells, who has faced questions over her expenses, including taxpayer-funded flights to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

A screenshot of a Facebook post.
Natalie Barr did grill Anthony Albanese on politicians' expenses, but the details posted are false. (AAP/Facebook)

It claims Natalie Barr, who co-hosts Seven's Sunrise program, "ripped into" Mr Albanese on air after he said Ms Wells's trip to New York was "completely normal".

"In an explosive outburst, Barr seized the mic and dropped one sentence that left the whole room speechless and Albanese visibly shocked!!," the post claims.

Mr Albanese was interviewed by Ms Barr on December 10 and while a transcript of the interview shows he was asked about Ms Wells, the quote in the post doesn't appear.

A similar post claims Ms Wells and other Labor MPs hit back at Ms Barr and Senator Hanson over their recent criticism of Mr Albanese, suggesting they issued a "ten word warning".

A screenshot of a Facebook post.
Many of the posts are shared hundreds of times by users who are unaware the information is false. (AAP/Facebook)

"What is happening to Anthony Albanese is a crime against the whole of Australia," the post quotes Ms Wells as saying.

"How can there be people so cruel as to attack a 62-year-old Prime Minister carrying an entire nation on his shoulders?"

The quotes are again fabricated.

Another post claims Senator Hanson accused Mr Albanese of trying to "force her to join LGBT promotion campaigns in Australia and within her One Nation Party".

A screenshot of a Facebook post.
Pauline Hanson is a frequent subject of the fabricated quotes posted by the Facebook pages. (AAP/Facebook)

'"He can bully anyone into doing what he wants, but not me,'" the post quotes Senator Hanson as saying.

"I don't want to push that stuff in my party or in this country."

The posts then claims Mr Albanese "fired back at Hanson with dripping sarcasm", and quotes him as calling Ms Hanson "an old woman who crawled out of the poverty of a tiny party, yet wants to prove she runs Australia's most elite one'".

Both quotes are fake.

AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, BlueSky, TikTok and YouTube.

Sources

Fact-checking is a team effort

Every AAP FactCheck article is the result of a meticulous process involving numerous experienced journalists and producers. Our articles are thoroughly researched, carefully crafted and rigorously scrutinised to ensure the highest standard of accuracy and objectivity in every piece.

AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network