WA 'may as well leave minerals in ground'
April 4, 2012

Western Australia may as well leave its minerals in the ground while its GST revenue continues to be stolen by Canberra and the eastern states, Premier Colin Barnett says.   

He's warned that the rate of mining growth in his state might not be so great after the current cycle of resource projects.

His comments came as Liberal state treasurers delivered a strong complaint to the federal government about changes to GST sharing arrangements.


In a meeting in Parliament House in Canberra the treasurers told their federal counterpart Wayne Swan they were unhappy about the lack of consultation over changes to GST.   

The WA government has been campaigning for a greater share of GST revenues as it sees its cut fall significantly.

Mr Barnett is arguing for a floor of 75 cents in the dollar for WA.

He told Fairfax Radio on Wednesday his government was doing a lot to encourage regional development but there was a limit to that when money was being taken in "extraordinary levels off this state".

"You've basically got Canberra and the east coast states stealing money from Western Australia and spreading it amongst themselves.

"For Western Australia, the logical thing would be to leave the minerals in the ground," Mr Barnett said.

"The rate of mineral growth after this cycle of projects may not be so great."

Mr Barnett said his government would not allow new towns to spring up in the outback without good education, health, policing and other essential services.

"We're not going to allow resource development to run away at such a pace, when all the money goes to Canberra and we haven't got the capacity to match that economic development with social development," the premier said.

"I'm not going to stop approval of projects but the pace of development will not be a runaway train in this state."   

AAP

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-may-as-well-leave-minerals-in-ground-20120404-1wcf3.html#ixzz1r7wkqEjA

Well Mr Barnett, we thought the minerals in the ground belonged to all Australians.   

Saw off WA at the border and let it float off further westward into the Indian Ocean.

WA: A remote mine pit with a population suffering from a form of cabin fever.

??

progressiveslol wrote on Apr 5^th, 2012 at 1:11pm:

....he is a peanut, fullstop!!

A victim.... lol he is so gone!!

longweekend58 wrote on Apr 5^th, 2012 at 4:30pm:

logical solution. just make the mining industry state run.

It is because WA has raised the royalties on iron ore fines (very fine iron ore) that the GST has been calculated to include WA's increased revenue.....WA has benefited from the production States in the East for nearly two centuries and has been well looked after when it came to Commonwealth funding.....I am one Western Australian who is humbled by the opportunity for our State to contribute more back to the Commonwealth and accept WA has revenue streams that are not available to other States and can afford to contribute more whilst the State tax revenue is at an all time high.....Barnett bribed the Nationals to win office and is fixed on a surplus while the Nationals are struggling to spend all their money that is all going to pork barrel National held seats.....Barnett has shown he is a typical opportunist who thinks Western Australians are as shallow as he is!!!