As federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers cranks up the spending, fuels inflation, remains oblivious to the impacts on mortgages and home ownership while ignoring the best advice from the Reserve Bank, we should perhaps feel sorry for him as he finds himself completely out of his depth as the nation’s worst economic nightmares materialise (“Trim the spend Jim, or we’ll all pay the price”, DT, 26/2). With 37 university qualifications shared among 24 Labor ministers, Chalmers’ PhD (ANU) is sadly in political science rather than anything to do with economics. There are only seven degrees in business, commerce or economics held among ministers. With these cabinet members holding portfolios which don’t match their qualifications, no wonder the country is in such a mess! A better choice for Australian treasurer is surely Rhodes scholar Dr Andrew Charlton, holding an Oxford PhD in Economics, with life experience in business as the owner of Accenture for several years. Until the Albanese government matches ministerial skills and ability to cabinet roles, the economic misery across Australia will persist. Frustrating highly skilled MPs will prove a disaster for our future. Keeping those poorly skilled in the limelight is a vanity project our country cannot afford. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 27Feb2026