TOPIC:

Custy it's pretty clear to me that no government will change the GST formula irrespective of the Productivity Commission's recommendations or their political persuasion if its going to cost $ to NSW, Vic and Qld. The government of the day will wait until the 3 year lag in calculation brings WA above 70 cents in the dollar before setting that as a bench mark. On current modelling that won't happen for a few years yet so don't hold your breath. What we all seem to forget in this issue is the previous state government's problem with financial management where they spent big time when getting iron ore royalties plus a big boost from GST as it was based on the previous 3 years of royalties before the mining boom. The big issue I have with GST distribution these days is that eastern states pokie income is not include as revenue for those states which for me is a nonsense given WA is being the only adult in the room.

Custy: the only problem with that, mate, is that it was the Liberals whom set up the GST in the first-place, and have allowed it to be manipulated and abussed by the tather siders. Therefore, Liberals should do the honourable thing and abolish the tax in favour of a re-vampped sales tax and tariff system.

It would be a monumental task for either side to come up with a revised GST formula or any feasible alternative. It is difficult to unring a bell! We can only hope that if WA reaches at least a return of 70c in the dollar that putting a floor under the GST dividend may actually happen. But as BC said ‘don’t hold your breath’

At risk of being chastised for getting off topic here, but it's pleasing this stage government appears to be making in-roads into the states parlous financial situation with forecasts of this year's deficit being halved. Some fiscal discipline and better than expected contributions to the states coffers by government owned enterprises looks like producing an encouraging result. Good work by flip flop and his band of merry men...and women.

No...I don't think any economic recovery will affect our GST as it's worked out by that ridiculous horizontal fiscal equalisation formula and the govt doesn't have an appetite to change it. As for the washed, blow dried, lip sticked pig...are you talking about Michaela Cash or someone or something else?

BC wrote: At risk of being chastised for getting off topic here, but it's pleasing this stage government appears to be making in-roads into the states parlous financial situation with forecasts of this year's deficit being halved. Some fiscal discipline and better than expected contributions to the states coffers by government owned enterprises looks like producing an encouraging result. Good work by flip flop and his band of merry men...and women.

Where was this reported BC?

The West...here's the link.

thewest.com.au/news/wa/treasury-figures-...pected-ng-b88759963z

BC wrote: The West...here's the link.

thewest.com.au/news/wa/treasury-figures-...pected-ng-b88759963z

Oh yeah, sussed it out just after that, yeah, doesn't really say what gov corps are chipping in but does go onto say stamp duty is well down, which is understandable given the pathetically weak property market here, which is the antithesis of NSW and Vic.

on another subject mate and I'll no doubt get growled at by someone for going off topic but do you know anything about Jeff Farmer Jnr? He's now on Subi's senior list and at 20 years of age would have thought he'd made a name for himself by now if he was any good.

He is from Karratha which is in our country zone.