The Shadow Treasurer Dr Steve Thomas says that Western Australia should not fear an upcoming review of the existing GST arrangements by the Commonwealth Grants Commission.
“There is no point being afraid of the Commonwealth Grants Commission or its review, because they can only report on the outcomes of past and present distribution models” Dr Thomas said.
“The only people who can inspire fear over our GST share are Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers, because only the Federal Labor Government can change the GST distribution in the future.”
“The buck stops entirely with the Albanese Government on any potential change.”
Dr Thomas said there was no doubt that the boasting by WA Premier Mark McGowan about his massive budget surpluses had turned up the heat on the interstate GST debate.
“Mark McGowan enjoys showing off his financial position, and his lecturing of those premiers who have not had the same financial luck is arrogantly driving those other states to cry foul” Dr Thomas said.
“Other Premiers have not enjoyed the biggest fiscal boom in history thanks to ore royalties, and someone should explain to Mr McGowan that his success has been because WA has over 90% of the nation’s iron ore reserves and accounts for almost all of the nation’s iron ore production and exports.”
“That has not come about because of his management.”
“The good budget position of our state is due to those iron ore royalties and the current GST arrangement, and it has little to do with the Premier and Treasurer’s financial management.”
“Sadly, the arrogance of Mark McGowan is directly contributing to the pressure being exerted over east to change the GST distribution” Dr Thomas said.
“He now needs to get an iron clad guarantee that Federal Labor will not change the distribution going forward.”
