Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has thrown his support behind Labor MP Hannah Beazley if she follows through on her threat to boycott National Disability Insurance Scheme meetings, escalating a growing funding stoush between the state and federal governments.
The political standoff centres on what WA describes as inadequate Commonwealth funding for the state's rapidly growing NDIS participant numbers. Ms Beazley, the member for Victoria Park, declared she would refuse to attend NDIS-related meetings until the funding issue is properly addressed.
Premier Cook's backing came during a press conference where he acknowledged the frustration many Western Australians feel about the current funding arrangement. "I support Hannah in her advocacy for Western Australia," Mr Cook stated, emphasising that the state deserves its "fair share" of disability funding.
The funding dispute has been brewing for months, with WA arguing that the current model fails to account for the state's population growth and unique geographical challenges. The state government claims it's being shortchanged compared to eastern states despite having one of the fastest-growing NDIS participant bases in the country.
Political observers note this represents one of the first significant public disagreements between the state Labor government and their federal counterparts since Mark McGowan's departure as premier. The situation puts pressure on the Albanese government to address what WA sees as an inequitable distribution of disability funding.
Community reaction has been mixed, with disability advocates expressing concern that political posturing could impact service delivery, while others support the strong stance against what they perceive as Commonwealth neglect of Western Australia's needs.
