The Western Australian government has launched a $1 million advertising campaign to protect the state's Goods and Services Tax (GST) deal, amid fears that pressure from other states could lead to a revamp of the distribution model.
Treasurer Rita Saffioti defended the campaign, titled 'WA's GST is working for Australia', which will run in eastern states newspapers, on billboards in Canberra, on radio and online. 'This is a real fight to make sure that WA keeps the deal that was struck in 2018,' she said on Sunday ahead of a trip to Canberra with Premier Roger Cook to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The 2018 reforms, introduced by the Morrison government, guarantee WA at least 75 cents for every dollar of GST revenue. Without the deal, WA would receive only 18 per cent of its population share for 2025-26, amounting to $6 billion less, according to the state government and the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Saffioti argued that the current GST share is invested in economic infrastructure that benefits the entire nation. 'Even with the GST deal we are contributing $2.5 billion to other states … and that's just in GST,' she said. The campaign aims to counter criticism from eastern states and economic commentators who question the arrangement.
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas expressed support for protecting the deal but noted that the advertising campaign indicates a lack of confidence in federal Labor counterparts. 'It does speak volumes for the lack of confidence that our state Labor leaders have in our Federal Labor counterparts that they can't trust them to advocate for WA over in Canberra,' he said.
The visit also includes discussions with Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt on proposed reforms to Australia's environment laws. Saffioti emphasized the need for clarity and continued industry involvement in the legislative process.
