GST lemons!

Posted on 11/07/2018 by Julie M Standard 1

The WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY‘s campaign to fix the GST is a per capita share of GST revenue collected by Canberra and paid to the states and territories – no strings attached.

PER CAPITA SHARE

Six states and territories receive more GST than their per capita share as this graph from CGC shows. WA (-5.7%) and NSW (-4.6%) are the only states that receive less.

A per capita share GST formula is easy to understand, stops Australia from being a welfare nation on the back of GST handouts, and the negative effect of pokies used to exploit gamblers and their addictions as revenue windfalls for all states except WA.

LABOR’S GST FIX

Labor’s proposal (April 2018) is for a 70 cent GST floor using $1.6 billion infrastructure fund as compensation to WA for its low GST share. The fund is a “de facto” level of 70c in the dollar, without taking any money from other states. This fix is a GST LEMON. Modelling show the money could run out a year later after a Labor government came to power, Andrew Burrell, WA Chief Reporter, Perth, 11 April 2018. Click here>>>

GRANTS COMMISSION’S GST FIX

The Commonwealth Grant’s Commission’s Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation report (May 2018) recommended a model base on equalisation to the average state. Under this model WA would receive an extra $7 billion over the next 8 years or $875 million each year, hardly enough to pay the interest on WA’s debt and a shortfall to the $7 billion per year base on a per capita share. The Commission assumes all states will exploit revenue from gambling and pokies. This fix is a GST LEMON.

LIBERAL GST FIX

Liberal’s proposal is to fix a 70c to 75c in the dollar floor to deliver WA $4.7 billion in extra GST cash over 8 years or $587.5 million per year, again like Labor, it’s not enough to pay the interest on WA’s annual interest payment on debt, and it’s not $7 billion per year under a per capita share of the GST. This fix is a GST LEMON.

Q: Does the GST still need fixing?

Yes, while other states use our GST to balance budgets and pay down debt:

WA has nearly $40 billion in debt and an interest bill of $1.3 billion per annum.
WA is the ONLY STATE to receive less than 83 cents in the dollar of GST revenue since 1999, and the only state to receive the lowest amount at 30 cents in the dollar.
WA is closing services and robbing Peter to pay Paul – Moora College, WA Camp Schools, etc.
The GST formula rewards states that exploit gambling revenue and pokies. WA does not.
WA increases payroll tax which impacts on jobs.
Payroll tax is harmful to WA small business
MRIT being used to prop up WA’s credit rating. This $500 million tax pool is meant to fund public open space and land for transport – roads and rail.

GST Lemons!

Save WA Camp Schools

Posted on 21/06/2018 by Julie M Standard Reply

The WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY says NO to the proposed closure or privatisation of six WA Camp Schools in:

Point Peron,
Goldfields,
Bridgetown,
Pemberton,
Geraldton,
Goldfields, and
the Pilbara.

The closure will impact over 10,000 students across WA including local schools like the Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School, Forestdale Primary School and Byford Primary School that utilise the WA Camp Schools.

Russell Goodrick, candidate for Darling Range says:

“camp schools are excellent examples of community facilities that provide immediate and long term benefits for the WA community. They contribute to a holistic education for children in addition to enhancing the local community and the local economy. These important contributions should be recognised and supported.”

The WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY’s campaign for 100% of our per-capita share of GST is gaining momentum. If elected we will ensure GST revenue is used by the State Government to stop the closure of Moora College and WA Camp Schools, and provide a well-funded education, health and law enforcement service to all Western Australians.

Vote 1 Russell Goodrick for Darling Range on Saturday 23 June 2018.

Gambling tax exemption from GST split hurts WA

Posted on 18/06/2018 by Julie M Standard Reply

If the Liberal Party were really serious about fixing the GST for WA, they would have voted YES to include gambling revenue in the GST formula at the 2018 Liberal Party Federal Conference. Instead they voted NO.

It is a little known fact that each state’s gambling revenues is not considered when the Commonwealth Grants Commission decides how much GST revenue each state should receive.

The states and territories that permit Club poker machines benefit from this situation receiving more GST plus significant revenues from Club poker machines and other gambling, far in excess of what Western Australia raises from the Burswood located casino. As a result, Western Australia’s share of Commonwealth revenue becomes GST welfare to these states.

Club poker machines and gambling revenues are another reason why WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY says

“GST formula is a LEMON and should be abolished.”

“Forget the GST formula which Liberal and Labor won’t fix, just give WA our 100% per-capita share of the GST revenue.”

If Western Australia received 100% of our per-capita share of GST, we could pay off debt, and provide a well-funded education, health and law enforcement service to all Western Australians.

Currently Western Australia receives $5.3 billion less than its capita share of the total GST revenue, and this shortfall is partly due to the exclusion of gambling revenues from the GST formula.

Vote 1 Russell Goodrick for Darling Range on 23 June 2018

Say YES to Police Workers Compensation

Posted on 14/06/2018 by Julie M Standard 1

The WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY says YES to Police Workers Compensation.

It is a little known fact that WA Police officers are currently excluded from Workers Compensation payouts, and those that are medically unfit to work are sacked from the Police force.

While the WA State Government is pushing forward with plans for Metronet, they are currently procrastinating on introducing a Police Compensation Scheme and amending Section 8 of the Police Act, which WA Labor promised to do, prior to being elected in March 2017. This issue has been going on for 20 years.

The Western Australia Party says that WA Police should be treated no differently to any other employee with regards to Workers Compensation.

Compensation for police men and women and police services is being compromised by the Federal Government’s refusal to pay Western Australia its per capita (11%) share of the GST. Instead the State Government is forced to revenue raise through speed cameras, denying Western Australia a properly funded well-resourced police and law enforcement service.

Russell Goodrick, candidate for Darling Range says

“If Western Australia received 100% of our per-capita share of GST and Fuel Excise revenue, this would assist to fund Police Workers Compensation, open a Police Station 24×7 in Darling Range, and sufficient Police to maintain law and order in Western Australia.”

Currently Western Australia is short-changed by $5.3 billion each year of its per-capita share of the total GST revenue. This shortfall is denying Western Australia a well funded Police Service which is urgently required, not just in the Darling Range electorate, but across Western Australia.

Vote 1 Russell Goodrick for Darling Range on 23 June 2018

Apples and Lemons

Posted on 05/06/2018 by Julie M Standard Reply

The WESTERN AUSTRALIA PARTY kicked off it’s campaign for the seat of Darling Range on the WA Day public holiday.

Apples

We are backing the orchard owners of Darling Range – the Apple of Our Eye. Imported fruit is threatening WA’s brand as a pest and disease-free state.

The first shipment of WA apples was exported to London in 1910, and rapidly increased to 126,808 cases by 1914. Today, the Perth Hills region including the Darling Range is home to organic apple orchards which continue to export overseas and supply Western Australia’s grocery stores, juice makers and cider breweries.

Lemons

At the same time Mr Turnbull’s GST offer of 80 cents in the dollar is a LEMON. It’s a copy cat of Mr Shorten’s offer of top ups and hand outs which come with strings attached.

GST Lemon – top ups and handouts!

More than $5 billion of annual GST revenue is missing from the proposed offers. GST revenue can be used to pay off the state’s debt and fund education, health and law enforcement.

Top ups and handouts come with strings attached on where the money can be spent, and how much the state should put in to match the handout. These offers are simply LEMONS.

Meanwhile other states use our $5 billion of annual GST revenue to balance the budget and provide services to their electors.