Federal election ‘will be won or lost in the suburbs’, Chalmers says

Treasurer is scathing of Coalition’s pledge to repeal Labor’s tax cuts but admits he is ‘very concerned’ about global trade war

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

The federal election will be a battle of the suburbs, the treasurer says, declaring Labor’s budget and economic plan is focused squarely on the outer suburban areas which may decide the next prime minister.

In an interview with Guardian Australia’s Full Story podcast, Jim Chalmers also dismissed Peter Dutton’s budget reply centrepiece, a temporary fuel excise cut, as providing “no ongoing help with the cost of living”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email