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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 471 asked in the Legislative Council on 23 August 2017 by Hon Michael Mischin

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


GST DISTRIBUTION
      471. Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I was encouraged by Hon Stephen Dawson's response to Hon Dr Sally Talbot's question, so we will see what sort of specificity we get here.
I refer to the Premier's answer to my question yesterday regarding improving WA's share of GST, in which he claimed that he ''will and has engaged with anyone who will assist, whether the federal opposition, Western Australian business, or anyone else''.
      (1) If that is so, with which federal opposition members of Parliament has he engaged on this issue?
(2) Precisely what has been the nature of that engagement?
      (3) Precisely what commitments, if any, have those federal opposition members of Parliament made to assist?
(4) If he refuses to provide information with any particularity, why?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
      The Premier provided the following response.
      (1)–(4) As the honourable member should be well aware, I have been consistent in my opposition to the woeful share of GST provided to the state by the Turnbull Liberal government. As Premier, I have raised the issue and advocated for a solution on numerous occasions with the Prime Minister of Australia, who, with his Treasurer, has the power to change this arrangement immediately, yet they refuse to do so. I have raised it at the Council of Australian Governments with the Prime Minister, Premiers and chief ministers of both persuasions. I have also raised it with the federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, and members of his caucus. They have a clear understanding of the issue and understand the folly of the WA Liberal government signing up to the GST in 1999, to which Labor, including myself at the time, was opposed. If the member wishes to revisit those debates in Hansard, he will see that members correctly foresaw the issues that plague our state today.