Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie has erupted in a furious tirade to accuse Jim Chalmers of ‘giving rich people more tax cuts’.

The Federal Treasurer handed down his fourth budget on Tuesday night with the promise of $17billion tax cuts as part of Anthony Albanese’s bid to win back voters struggling through a cost of living crisis weeks out from an election.

He also announced a $150 extension to the energy rebate.

The pre-election sweeteners weren’t enough for Senator Lambie, who took aim at the blanket measures as she blasted the government for failing Australians who are doing it tough on ABC’s Insiders.

‘There’s nothing to brag about here,’ the Tasmanian independent senator told host David Speers on Tuesday night.

‘Giving rich people more tax cuts is not a viable option. I don’t know how many times we need to tell them. 

‘Cuts you give to us, can you imagine the billions of dollars you’ve wasted on giving people like that, people like me who have more than enough money instead of putting that forward to those people who need that more. 

‘This is disgusting, it is lazy and quite frankly I want all those rich people to know that if you are taking that [$150] energy payment, you are a welfare recipient.’

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie (pictured) told ABC Insider's that 'rich' Aussies who take the energy payment are 'welfare recipients'

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie (pictured) told ABC Insider’s that ‘rich’ Aussies who take the energy payment are ‘welfare recipients’

Under the latest energy scheme, all Australian households and one million small businesses will receive two automatic $75 rebates directly off their electricity bills through to December 31.

Senator Lambie became emotional as she unleashed on Labor’s lack of aid for small  businesses while taking aim at government support for salmon farming.

‘They’re not a friend of small business, they are the enemy,’ she said.

‘Up here this week, we are talking about dirty, stinking salmon sitting in Macquarie Harbour, and yet the tax write-off for small businesses finishes on July 1.

‘Wouldn’t you think we’d be sitting up here this week doing more for small business and making sure they received that $20,000 write-off going from July 1?

‘Small business has been absolutely killed in the last three years.’

Senator Lambie was referring to the instant asset write-off for small businesses which the Albanese government chose not to extend in this budget.

Ahead of the federal election, the government passed a new bill in the lower house to protect the salmon industry in Tasmania from challenge under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

ABC host David Speers (pictured) asked Senator Jacqui Lambie whether the government had backed the 'wrong side' by protecting the salmon industry in Tasmania

ABC host David Speers (pictured) asked Senator Jacqui Lambie whether the government had backed the ‘wrong side’ by protecting the salmon industry in Tasmania

Speers asked the Tasmanian senator for her views on the bill and whether the government is ‘backing the wrong side’. 

‘They’re on the wrong side. There are 65 per cent of Tasmanians that do not want salmon farming going on in Tasmania,’ Senator Lambie said.

Her passionate rant sparked a mixed reaction from ABC viewers.

‘Jacqui Lambie behaving like a ranting ghost,’ one wrote.

Another added: ‘I swear I just heard Jacqui Lambie conducting an auction.’

A third wrote: ‘I always applaud Jacqui Lambie’s passion, but she does not have the comprehension skills needed to make meaningful, positive change.’

Other viewers welcomed the senator’s candid assessment of the budget.

‘Our Aussie Senator Jacqui Lambie is a legend,’ one wrote.

Another compared her to popular, outspoken American senator Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: ‘America has AOC. We have Jacqui Lambie.’ 

Dr Chalmers’ Budget offered a raft of cost-of-living measures designed to appeal to battling Aussies in a last-ditch, pre-election pitch.

Jacqui Lambie slammed the Albanese government over the lack of support for small businesses (pictured)

Jacqui Lambie slammed the Albanese government over the lack of support for small businesses (pictured)

Treasurer Jim Chalmers' budget was branded 'disgusting' and 'lazy' by Senator Lambie

Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ budget was branded ‘disgusting’ and ‘lazy’ by Senator Lambie

It included two tax cuts, a $150 extension to the energy rebate, promises to make nine out of ten visits to the GP free, wiping $19billion from existing student debt, banning non-compete clauses and billions set aside for major infrastructure projects.

From 1 July 2026, the 16 per cent tax rate, which applies to taxable income between $18,201 and $45,000, will be reduced to 15 per cent – up to $268.

And from 1 July 2027, this tax rate will be reduced further to 14 per cent – up to $536.

Australia’s tax system is progressive, meaning that all 14 million of the country’s taxpayers will benefit from these cuts.

Combined with the stage three tax cuts, the average tax cut is expected to be around $43 per week or more than $2,200 in 2026-27, and around $50 per week or more than $2,500 in 2027-28.

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