❓ The Premier defends the government's record on securing WA's fair share of GST revenue, criticising the previous government's approach and accusing the opposition of undermining current efforts. He affirms his commitment to fighting for WA's interests.
AnsweredQoN 363Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GST DISTRIBUTION
363. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the member for Southern River, I welcome to the public gallery the student
executive of Huntingdale Primary School.
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to always stand up for Western Australia. Can
the Premier outline to the house how he
intends to maintain Western Australia's prominence on the national
platform, including fighting for WA's fair share of the GST?
363. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the member for Southern River, I welcome to the public gallery the student
executive of Huntingdale Primary School.
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to always stand up for Western Australia. Can
the Premier outline to the house how he
intends to maintain Western Australia's prominence on the national
platform, including fighting for WA's fair share of the GST?
AnswerView source ↗
One
of the first acts of this government under the McGowan leadership was to make
sure that we went to Sydney to engage with the federal government of the
day to get our fair share of the GST and infrastructure funding. Let us go back to 2017 when we were first elected. We had
just come out of eight and a half years of the Barnett government under
which we saw year after year the repudiation of its federal Canberra
colleagues. It was not able to engage with the federal government on
infrastructure funding. Optus Stadium is a classic case in point. The former
state government would not engage with the
federal government. Through its arrogance, the state government decided that it
was not prepared to work with Canberra on reasonable solutions on behalf of the
taxpayers of Western Australia.
Not long after our meeting, Western
Australia had both outcomes. We have done work with the federal government to
make sure that we will get our fair share of the GST and that we have
significant funding, particularly for our Metronet project. Guess who was in
that initial meeting? It was the one and only Deputy Premier, Hon Rita
Saffioti. She was out there fighting on behalf of Western Australians to make
sure that we got our fair share of the GST and infrastructure funding.
We have heard a lot from the other
states about the GST funding. They have called for the dismantling of this fair
share arrangement. They have called for the arrangements to be undermined. Let
us have a look at how the current GST arrangements impact on the other states.
In 2022–23, New South Wales got 95� in the dollar back from its GST funding.
Victoria got 85� in the dollar. Only one state got less than that and that was Western
Australia with our GST floor of 70� in the dollar. In 2022–23, the
Queensland government pretty much got every dollar back from its GST. I notice
that its strident disrespect and critique of the GST arrangements has suddenly
vanished now that it too may have to rely on the 70� floor in the GST share,
and all of a sudden, my great friend Cameron Dick, the Treasurer in Queensland,
is saying, ''We don't object to the floor; we just want to
maintain the no-disadvantage clause.'' We welcome his state on to the
side, alongside us, as a resource state driving the nation's economy.
We welcome him to our team as we defend the GST-sharing arrangements.
Even though other states critique
our fair share of the GST arrangements, we never thought they would have
cheerleaders in Western Australia—others helping them to undermine the
steadfast position of the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Treasurer,
Jim Chalmers. It was particularly disappointing to see the member for Vasse in
the media today cheering them on, questioning our resolve in relation to the
GST and continuing to sow doubt in the minds of the Western Australian public
about what this government stands for. She continues to fan the flames of
critique coming from the eastern states. The member for Vasse should be
championing the cause of Western Australia, not trying to undermine it. Once
again, the Liberal Party members on the other side continue trying to drag Western
Australia down. It was not enough that they undermined our cause by ignoring
their federal colleagues when they were in
government; now they continue to cheer on those who try to attack our fair
share of the GST.
Madam Speaker, here it is for the record:
as Premier, I will always fight for Western Australia and fight tooth and nail
to protect our fair share of the GST. This Labor government will always stand
up for Western Australia. We will continue to deliver on the positive and
responsible platform Western Australians voted for in 2021. We will keep Western
Australia's economy and finances strong and stable so that we can
invest in what matters. We will put our focus into delivering cost-of-living
relief, strengthening our health system and boosting housing supply. We will drive the transition to a cleaner
affordable and reliable energy future to diversify our state's economy
and create quality jobs for Western Australians. We will stand up for
WA. I am just sorry that the Liberals and the Nationals WA will not.
of the first acts of this government under the McGowan leadership was to make
sure that we went to Sydney to engage with the federal government of the
day to get our fair share of the GST and infrastructure funding. Let us go back to 2017 when we were first elected. We had
just come out of eight and a half years of the Barnett government under
which we saw year after year the repudiation of its federal Canberra
colleagues. It was not able to engage with the federal government on
infrastructure funding. Optus Stadium is a classic case in point. The former
state government would not engage with the
federal government. Through its arrogance, the state government decided that it
was not prepared to work with Canberra on reasonable solutions on behalf of the
taxpayers of Western Australia.
Not long after our meeting, Western
Australia had both outcomes. We have done work with the federal government to
make sure that we will get our fair share of the GST and that we have
significant funding, particularly for our Metronet project. Guess who was in
that initial meeting? It was the one and only Deputy Premier, Hon Rita
Saffioti. She was out there fighting on behalf of Western Australians to make
sure that we got our fair share of the GST and infrastructure funding.
We have heard a lot from the other
states about the GST funding. They have called for the dismantling of this fair
share arrangement. They have called for the arrangements to be undermined. Let
us have a look at how the current GST arrangements impact on the other states.
In 2022–23, New South Wales got 95� in the dollar back from its GST funding.
Victoria got 85� in the dollar. Only one state got less than that and that was Western
Australia with our GST floor of 70� in the dollar. In 2022–23, the
Queensland government pretty much got every dollar back from its GST. I notice
that its strident disrespect and critique of the GST arrangements has suddenly
vanished now that it too may have to rely on the 70� floor in the GST share,
and all of a sudden, my great friend Cameron Dick, the Treasurer in Queensland,
is saying, ''We don't object to the floor; we just want to
maintain the no-disadvantage clause.'' We welcome his state on to the
side, alongside us, as a resource state driving the nation's economy.
We welcome him to our team as we defend the GST-sharing arrangements.
Even though other states critique
our fair share of the GST arrangements, we never thought they would have
cheerleaders in Western Australia—others helping them to undermine the
steadfast position of the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Treasurer,
Jim Chalmers. It was particularly disappointing to see the member for Vasse in
the media today cheering them on, questioning our resolve in relation to the
GST and continuing to sow doubt in the minds of the Western Australian public
about what this government stands for. She continues to fan the flames of
critique coming from the eastern states. The member for Vasse should be
championing the cause of Western Australia, not trying to undermine it. Once
again, the Liberal Party members on the other side continue trying to drag Western
Australia down. It was not enough that they undermined our cause by ignoring
their federal colleagues when they were in
government; now they continue to cheer on those who try to attack our fair
share of the GST.
Madam Speaker, here it is for the record:
as Premier, I will always fight for Western Australia and fight tooth and nail
to protect our fair share of the GST. This Labor government will always stand
up for Western Australia. We will continue to deliver on the positive and
responsible platform Western Australians voted for in 2021. We will keep Western
Australia's economy and finances strong and stable so that we can
invest in what matters. We will put our focus into delivering cost-of-living
relief, strengthening our health system and boosting housing supply. We will drive the transition to a cleaner
affordable and reliable energy future to diversify our state's economy
and create quality jobs for Western Australians. We will stand up for
WA. I am just sorry that the Liberals and the Nationals WA will not.
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