Federal budget 2024: Laura Chalmers wears Carla Zampatti dress as she supports her husband in parliament
While Treasurer Jim Chalmers was the center of attention as he presented his third federal budget, his wife Laura, 40, also cuts a very formidable figure.
The former political consultant turned magazine editor turned heads as he played the role of supportive wife on Tuesday night.
Wearing an $899 yellow Carla Zampatti dress and a matching $999 jacket, Ms Chalmers sat with two of their children, Leo and Annabel, and next to Jodie Haydon, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s fiancée, in Parliament.
She and her husband also shared a tender moment before and after the budget.
The treasurer completed a PhD in political science before working in state politics in Queensland, becoming a federal MP in 2013 and treasurer in 2022.
His wife, formerly known as Laura Anderson worked as press secretary for former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Secretary Penny Wong before returning to her first love, journalism.
Her highly successful career led to her becoming the national editor of News Corp’s Saturday Weekend Magazines in November 2021, just after returning from maternity leave.
While Treasurer Jim Chalmers was the center of attention Tuesday night as he presented the federal budget, his wife Laura (pictured with two of their children) also cuts a very formidable figure.
Laura Chalmers arrived at Parliament with two of her children, wearing an $899 yellow Carla Zampatti dress and a matching $999 jacket
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers receives a hug from his daughter Annabel after delivering the 2024/25 budget statement, as his son Leo looks on
She showed her ambition in taking the job, saying: “We know there is an audience for premium, long-form journalism and that is what these magazines will do.
“Tell the biggest stories in their state using a pool of award-winning writers from across the company.”
However, Ms Chalmers had previous success in journalism, working as a state politics reporter for the Advertiser newspaper in her hometown of Adelaide from January 2003 to May 2006.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers kisses wife Laura after presenting the 2024-2025 budget
She then spent almost three years in Canberra as a federal political reporter for the Advertiser before working for Ms Wong and later Ms Gillard.
Her political career came to an abrupt end in July 2013 when Kevin Rudd ousted Ms Gillard in an internal Labor battle and replaced her as prime minister.
She and Dr Chalmers were married in March 2013, just two days after an earlier Labor leadership leak – by Simon Crean – which Ms Gillard survived.
The then Prime Minister attended the wedding, where she and then Treasurer Wayne Swan were given a specially reserved room to form a new ministry.
The reception seating layout had to be changed at the last minute to keep the warring Labor officers apart, placing Julia Gillard next to Dr Chalmers’ mother, Carol.
He later downplayed the disruption, saying, “From our point of view, it wasn’t that unusual, to be honest.”
Since that exciting start to married life, the couple has had three children: Jack, three, Annabel, six, and Leo, eight.
Ms Chalmers, wearing a yellow dress to match her blonde hair, sat with two of their children and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s fiancée, Jodie Haydon (left), in Parliament
During the 2019 election campaign, Annabel was hospitalized with a bone infection three weeks after election day.
Laura and Carol stayed with her in hospital during the day, while her father took over at night, often going straight to the airport for the first flight to Canberra.
After her political career was derailed by Mr Rudd replacing her boss, Ms Chalmers returned to journalism at The Courier-Mail in Brisbane, where she worked her way up to her current high-flying role.
The old saying goes that behind every great man there is a great woman, but in the case of the Chalmers it is probably more accurate to say they stand side by side.
Laura and Jim Chalmers shared a tender moment before the budget was presented