Jim Chalmers

James Edward Chalmers (born 2 March 1978) in Brisbane, the youngest of three children born to Graham and Carol Chalmers. His father worked as a courier and his mother worked as a nurse. They divorced when he was 14, by which time his older sisters had left home.

Chalmers grew up in Logan City in Brisbane's south. He attended Catholic schools before going on to Griffith University, where he completed the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Communication and attained a First Class honours degree in public policy. He went on to complete a PhD in political science at the Australian National University, writing his doctoral thesis on the prime ministership of Paul Keating, titled "Brawler statesman: Paul Keating and prime ministerial leadership in Australia"

In March 2013 Chalmers married Laura Anderson, a journalist and writer who worked as a staffer to Penny Wong and Julia Gillard. The couple have three children. Their wedding, attended by Gillard and Wayne Swan among others, occurred two days after an ALP leadership spill. While in attendance Gillard "convened a council of war in a specially set-aside room to frame a new ministry"

Chalmers identifies as a Catholic, though more "tribal than Bible", his three children having been baptised in the same church as himself. His interests have been listed to include running, rugby league and basketball. He is a fan of hip-hop music.