CCIWA has joined forces – again – with four WA business titans to ensure the State gets a fair share of the country’s GST tax revenue pie.
The high-profile industry leaders are sitting on CCIWA’s GST Deal Defender Steering Committee, overseeing a coordinated national campaign to ensure WA is not short-changed on GST revenue.
The Federal Government will look at state and territory GST distributions over the coming year.
CCIWA Chief Economist Aaron Morey said the threat to WA’s economy would be significant if the GST deal was wound back.
“Prior to the 2017 deal, WA had subsidised the other states to the tune of $36 billion since the GST was introduced,” he said.
“Those other states are desperate for WA to pick up the tab again.
“Having these four icons of WA business front and centre of the campaign, along with the WA Government and other advocates, will help to drive home the oversized contribution our State makes to the rest of the country.”
More than three in five Western Australians were concerned about a potential cut to WA’s annual GST share, according to CCIWA’s recent Consumer Confidence survey.
Morey said although Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised “no change” to WA’s GST share, there would be “immense pressure” from other states.
“It’s vital that the Commonwealth recognises that WA’s strength is the nation’s strength,” he said.
“The GST revenue returned to WA as part of the 2017 deal has ensured our State can build the vital economic infrastructure that fuels our contribution to the nation.
“Roads, rail, power transmission and port infrastructure are all vitally important to getting WA’s resources to the world, and those returns flow back to all Australians, not just those of us in the West.
“This is just the start of our campaign. There’s plenty more to come.”
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