Aug 26, 2026 – 2.16pmTreasurer Jim Chalmers has criticised West Australian Labor Premier Roger Cook for labelling the Productivity Commission a bunch of “east coast clowns”, but claimed Anthony Albanese’s dismissal of the body as economic rationalists was not a criticism.Speaking after the commission hit out at both Cook and Albanese for what it said were inappropriate attacks on its integrity designed to discredit its interim findings into the distribution of GST revenue, Chalmers said it was possible to disagree with the commission without denigrating it.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles