❓ WA Treasurer defends the state's GST compliance, accuses the Commonwealth Treasurer of rewriting agreements and prioritizing business tax cuts over WA's needs and income tax reform.
AnsweredQoN 14Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Can the Treasurer explain why the commonwealth is trying to hold the great state of Western Australia to ransom over goods and services tax revenues? Several members interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! I call the member for Hillarys to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Several members interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! I call the member for Hillarys to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I call the member for Hillarys to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Several members interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! I call the member for Hillarys to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I call the member for Hillarys to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Western Australia has more than met its obligations under the GST intergovernmental agreement. Since the GST was introduced, we have scrapped eight taxes in Western Australia, including all of those that required abolition under the agreement, three that were listed only for review under that agreement and two taxes outside the agreement altogether. Peter Costello is trying to rewrite the agreement that was signed not by us but by Richard Court. Taxes that Mr Court agreed only to review, Mr Costello wrongly says he agreed to abolish. Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Our election promises and funding for key frontline services such as health and investment in infrastructure to support jobs and growth have to take priority over Mr Costello’s agenda. However, we have shown that we will cut taxes when we have the capacity. When that time comes, we would prefer to cut the taxes our community wants to cut such as stamp duty on houses, stamp duty on motor vehicles and land tax; not the business taxes that Mr Costello wants to cut. I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
I was asked by the member for Perth why Mr Costello is taking the attitude that he has. Why is he threatening the states? He is trying to deflect attention from his own shortcomings because there is a killer tax in this country - a tax that kills the economy, kills jobs and kills effort; that is, income tax. Even when the goods and services tax is treated as a state tax, the commonwealth tax take in Western Australia is $10 063 for every Western Australian, versus $3 586 in state taxes. Mr Costello has a $12 billion windfall from income tax and company tax and he still will not cut the high marginal income tax rates that punish people who are trying to move from welfare to work. It is a disgrace in this country that people who are trying to get off welfare and into employment face those very high marginal tax rates. Mr Costello takes $2 billion more from Western Australia each year than he returns to us - $1 000 for every Western Australian - and he still will not invest in the infrastructure of this state, the economic powerhouse of the nation. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Gallop government will fight for Western Australia, and we expect even this shallow and inexperienced opposition to join us in that fight.
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