Pantheon wrote on Apr 15
th, 2015 at 11:33am:
States like Tasmania and Vic need to develop their own sources of income, and stop replying on money from states like QLD and WA, Why? What happens when the mining booms ends and WA ends up going back to where it was before, before the mining boom? it will be worst off than Tasmania?
Who's then going to subsidise 60% of Tasmanians government (which is currently being funded by the GST)? and the huge spending of the eastern states?
The mining boom is slowing and you can already feel it in WA, yet it share of GST to help the soft landing isn't increasing but is deceasing?
It doesn't seem to make sense or even fair, with the mining boom slowing and dying off, the percentage of WA gets back from GST decreasing? Its a double hit that isn't fair.
If you're going to be slagging off other states, it would be more convincing if your facts were correct. They are not.
Victoria is like WA - a net payer of GST (not to the same degree in percentages, but comparable in amounts).
Queensland is like Tasmania - a net taker of GST.
I am not unsympathetic to WA's position on the GST, but it shouldn't be an excuse for running a lazy budget. It's easy to be lavish when money is rolling in, but when the revenue drops some prudence is required. The states also need to reform the GST distribution.
The problem is a lack of revenue to pay for services. Further reforms like tax cuts and budget cuts are mostly played out. We should look at increasing taxes by abolishing tax loopholes and using additional non-GST sources of revenue for the states.