A vote for Labor at the next Federal election is a vote to retain the GST system which has robbed Western Australia of billions of dollars, according to The Nationals WA Deputy Leader Jacqui Boydell.
Labor acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek this week confirmed long-held suspicions that a Bill Shorten-led Government would do nothing to fix WA’s GST crisis.
“That’s because every State and Territory bar WA will lose, and lose big time,” Ms Plibersek said.
Ms Boydell said Western Australians considering voting for Labor at the next Federal poll should now reconsider their options.
“Once again, Western Australia has been left in the lurch by the powers that be east of the Nullabor,” Ms Boydell said. “WA parliamentarians from both Liberal and Labor parties have shirked this critical issue for far too long and Sandgropers are sick of it.
“Ms Plibersek’s comments reiterate that a Bill Shorten Labor Government will put the interests of South Australia and Tasmania ahead of WA.”
Ms Boydell said The Nationals WA were the only party to have brought a vote on a fairer GST share to the floor of the Federal Parliament.
“In 2011 our then Member for O’Connor Tony Crook sat by himself as each and every WA MP voted against a floor in the GST which would of ensured our State received it’s fair share,” Ms Boydell said.
“Regrettably, it’s now seven years later and MPs in both Liberal and Labor camps remain too spineless to tackle this issue head-on.
“A fairer GST system is critical if Western Australia’s economy and State Budget is to recover as we move toward 2020 and beyond.
“If The Nationals WA are successful in securing a spot in the Federal Parliament after the next election we will use that leverage to seek and ensure a fairer deal for Western Australia.”
Ms Boydell said a vote for The Nationals WA at the next Federal election would guarantee the major parties would be held to account for their dismal treatment of Western Australia.
“People understand that when you vote Nationals WA your vote counts,” she said.
“Whether it was Tony Crook’s fight for a fairer GST, Brendon Grylls’ fight for Royalties for Regions or Mia Davies’ fight to reverse cuts to regional education and Schools of the Air – The Nationals have a history of putting Western Australians at the front of the queue.”
For media enquiries contact Alex Massey on 0418 688 733 or email alex.massey@losp.wa.gov.au
