❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Premier about agreeing to a state-based income tax regime subject to horizontal fiscal equalisation. The Premier denies agreeing to anything, as the discussion was rejected by other states at COAG.
AnsweredQoN 203Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOODS AND SERVICES TAX
203. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. The
proposal on income tax would have made WA income tax subject to horizontal
fiscal equalisation.
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Treasurer, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
B.S. WYATT : Given that it was confirmed on radio by the federal Minister
for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, that any income tax regime,
separated, would be subject to horizontal fiscal equalisation, did the Premier
agree to that proposal when he agreed to have a separate, state-based income
tax regime?
203. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. The
proposal on income tax would have made WA income tax subject to horizontal
fiscal equalisation.
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Treasurer, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
B.S. WYATT : Given that it was confirmed on radio by the federal Minister
for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, that any income tax regime,
separated, would be subject to horizontal fiscal equalisation, did the Premier
agree to that proposal when he agreed to have a separate, state-based income
tax regime?
AnswerView source ↗
To the best of my memory, Hon Simon
Birmingham was not at COAG.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : He was on radio talking about it.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : He might have been on radio, but he certainly was not at
COAG. He certainly was not at any discussion between the Prime Minister and the
Premiers. He simply was not the elephant or bear in the room. He was not there.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Why did you agree to it? Tell us!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the member's question. Calm
down!
We did not even get to a discussion —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Yet you agreed to it. What's wrong with you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not agree to something, because we did not even get
to that point.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! That is enough!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, these fools opposite, none of them has ever been
to a COAG meeting.
Ms
M.M. Quirk : Yes, I have, actually.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Have you? No wonder they did not work!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Premier, I want an answer through the Chair. Very interesting
answer there, member for Girrawheen, but you are on three calls. Let us get
this thing going, Premier, through the Chair.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The other states had publicly rejected —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : What did you accept?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the member's question.
The other states had publicly
rejected any sharing of income tax arrangement, so the discussion did not even
begin at COAG. The Prime Minister began the meeting by saying, ''Okay,
basically you've rejected that, so that's off the table.''
That is when I made my point to the other Premiers: ''I think you missed
a great opportunity to engage in a sensible discussion about income tax, GST
and the division of responsibilities between the commonwealth and the states.''
I think the COAG meeting was disappointing for that reason. Despite the member's
assertions about Simon Birmingham and what I agreed to, sadly, the discussion
did not even get to that point.
Birmingham was not at COAG.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : He was on radio talking about it.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : He might have been on radio, but he certainly was not at
COAG. He certainly was not at any discussion between the Prime Minister and the
Premiers. He simply was not the elephant or bear in the room. He was not there.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Why did you agree to it? Tell us!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the member's question. Calm
down!
We did not even get to a discussion —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Yet you agreed to it. What's wrong with you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not agree to something, because we did not even get
to that point.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! That is enough!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, these fools opposite, none of them has ever been
to a COAG meeting.
Ms
M.M. Quirk : Yes, I have, actually.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Have you? No wonder they did not work!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Premier, I want an answer through the Chair. Very interesting
answer there, member for Girrawheen, but you are on three calls. Let us get
this thing going, Premier, through the Chair.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The other states had publicly rejected —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : What did you accept?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the member's question.
The other states had publicly
rejected any sharing of income tax arrangement, so the discussion did not even
begin at COAG. The Prime Minister began the meeting by saying, ''Okay,
basically you've rejected that, so that's off the table.''
That is when I made my point to the other Premiers: ''I think you missed
a great opportunity to engage in a sensible discussion about income tax, GST
and the division of responsibilities between the commonwealth and the states.''
I think the COAG meeting was disappointing for that reason. Despite the member's
assertions about Simon Birmingham and what I agreed to, sadly, the discussion
did not even get to that point.
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