NSW treasurer attacks WA's $6 billion GST advantage as unfair
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told the Productivity Commission that WA's GST deal costs federal taxpayers $6 billion yearly.
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told the Productivity Commission on Monday that Western Australia's GST deal is unfair. A month earlier, the Productivity Commission released a report that found the arrangement was "perverse" and cost federal taxpayers $6 billion per year.
Mookhey said the system allows WA to follow one set of rules while other states follow another. When WA had a boom, it kept its money, but NSW and Queensland had to share theirs.
Daniel Mookhey told the commission: "There is nothing wrong from WA benefiting from its natural endowment, but a powerhouse economy should not require a privileged place in the national federation." WA Premier Roger Cook called the commission's authors "east coast clowns".
The federal government said it will maintain WA's existing GST arrangements under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
- 6 billion dollars
- Annual cost to federal taxpayers
- NSW, Queensland
- States disadvantaged
- Productivity Commission
- Who called it perverse
Why it mattersThe dispute over GST revenue sharing affects how much money each state can spend on hospitals, schools and roads.
AustraliaNSW and Queensland are arguing they should receive more federal funding; WA's entitlement directly reduces what other states can spend on services.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 10 d ago
