❓ Treasurer Ripper addresses concerns about declining Commonwealth payments to WA, highlighting the state's disproportionate contribution to the national economy and inadequate federal infrastructure funding. He criticises the Commonwealth Grants Commission and praises Kevin Rudd's commitment to WA.
AnsweredQoN 564Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COMMONWEALTH PAYMENTS TO STATES
Welcome back, Mr Speaker. Can the Treasurer confirm recent media reports that total payments to the states from the commonwealth have fallen to their lowest level in a decade? Mr E.S. RIPPER
Welcome back, Mr Speaker. Can the Treasurer confirm recent media reports that total payments to the states from the commonwealth have fallen to their lowest level in a decade? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
I have previously given information to the house about the decline in share of gross domestic product allocated to states’ revenues. This is a very important issue. I am talking about the impact on all states. However, the position for Western Australia is even worse because of the way in which it is punished for its economic success and the way in which the Commonwealth Grants Commission does not take into account the cost of building infrastructure when this state’s share of commonwealth grants is determined. The commonwealth is just missing in action when it comes to the Western Australian economy and its infrastructure requirements. Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I have previously given information to the house about the decline in share of gross domestic product allocated to states’ revenues. This is a very important issue. I am talking about the impact on all states. However, the position for Western Australia is even worse because of the way in which it is punished for its economic success and the way in which the Commonwealth Grants Commission does not take into account the cost of building infrastructure when this state’s share of commonwealth grants is determined. The commonwealth is just missing in action when it comes to the Western Australian economy and its infrastructure requirements. Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
I have previously given information to the house about the decline in share of gross domestic product allocated to states’ revenues. This is a very important issue. I am talking about the impact on all states. However, the position for Western Australia is even worse because of the way in which it is punished for its economic success and the way in which the Commonwealth Grants Commission does not take into account the cost of building infrastructure when this state’s share of commonwealth grants is determined. The commonwealth is just missing in action when it comes to the Western Australian economy and its infrastructure requirements. Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I have previously given information to the house about the decline in share of gross domestic product allocated to states’ revenues. This is a very important issue. I am talking about the impact on all states. However, the position for Western Australia is even worse because of the way in which it is punished for its economic success and the way in which the Commonwealth Grants Commission does not take into account the cost of building infrastructure when this state’s share of commonwealth grants is determined. The commonwealth is just missing in action when it comes to the Western Australian economy and its infrastructure requirements. Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
I have previously given information to the house about the decline in share of gross domestic product allocated to states’ revenues. This is a very important issue. I am talking about the impact on all states. However, the position for Western Australia is even worse because of the way in which it is punished for its economic success and the way in which the Commonwealth Grants Commission does not take into account the cost of building infrastructure when this state’s share of commonwealth grants is determined. The commonwealth is just missing in action when it comes to the Western Australian economy and its infrastructure requirements. Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Let me give to the house the figures that I have given previously. The commonwealth is allocating $239 per capita for infrastructure in 2007-08, while the Western Australian government is allocating $2 218 per capita in the same financial year. Why do we do this? We do this to avoid export bottlenecks. We do not want the same sorts of bottlenecks that have occurred on the eastern seaboard. We want to ensure that our prosperity in this state is maximised. We have to do that because the commonwealth government is just missing in action. Not only has it turned its back on us, but it is also punishing us for our economic success. It is reducing our capacity to fund infrastructure in the future by cutting our share of goods and services tax revenue from 10 per cent in 2006-07 to a projected 7.5 per cent in 2010-11. The Leader of the Opposition ought to be concerned about this because he claims that his party has a chance to be the alternative government in the next parliamentary term. I do not think his party has a chance, but that is his claim. Whatever party is in government in the next parliamentary term, it will be seeing a $1.4 billion cut in funding to our state as a result of this reduction in our share of GST. We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
We all know that the commonwealth collects more tax in Western Australia. The Premier has indicated that in his view Peter Costello thinks that the Western Australian economy is a giant automatic teller machine. I would like to elaborate. From his point of view, it is an ATM with no daily limit on withdrawals. The commonwealth government collects $30 billion worth of tax in this state and spends $25 billion here. Its surplus out of Western Australia is $5 billion. Does it spend that surplus here in Western Australia? No; it takes that $5 billion and spends it in other states. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I say to the member for Avon that the commonwealth government pork-barrels National Party marginal electorates on the eastern seaboard. This subsidy from Western Australia to the rest of the federation is the largest per capita subsidy in the country. New South Wales and Victoria, on a per capita basis on the same analysis, also subsidise the rest of the country. Our subsidy per capita is the largest of all the states. It amounts to $2 400 per Western Australian per year. Despite the subsidy, the federal government short-changes us on infrastructure. For example, the state government provides 69.8 per cent of total government health funding, excluding patient revenues. The commonwealth’s share is 30.2 per cent. We get 10.3 per cent of AusLink funding, despite the fact that we have 22 per cent of the roads. The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
The real issue in this forthcoming federal election is the issue of Western Australia getting its fair share of returns from our economic development. We have had no response whatsoever from John Howard and Peter Costello, but Kevin Rudd has listened to the needs of this state and he has promised us 25 per cent of the Gorgon royalties for Western Australian infrastructure. He is listening. The other lot do not care. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
The SPEAKER : I call the members for Avon and Roe to order.
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Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.