Senate debates

Monday, 27 March 2023

Statements by Senators

Goods and Services Tax

1:36 pm

Photo of Dean SmithDean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Hansard source

ITH () (): Wall-to-wall Labor on the Australian mainland has sent a shiver down the spines of Western Australians. Wall-to-wall Labor on the mainland is now wall-to-wall opposition to the GST deal that was secured by this parliament in 2018. It's worth reminding people of some facts. Without the GST deal, Western Australia's GST relativity could have fallen to 0.1. Think about that for a second: 0.1. In Western Australia, we know the GST relativity did fall to 0.3. Just last month we heard the great news for Western Australians of a $6.5 billion GST dividend to Western Australia next year. That is good news, and it's only because of the GST deal that was struck in this parliament.

Western Australians are right to ask: Why is Jim Chalmers hiding GST documents from the Senate? Why does the Prime Minister continue to hide GST documents from the Senate? Is it because there could be something to hide? Yes. When the Labor Treasurer was forced to reveal GST documents last week, guess what we saw? We saw an attempt by the board of treasurers, led by the ACT Chief Minister, to set in place a plan to unwind the GST deal. Senator Brockman, Senator O'Sullivan and I are very keen to know what other GST documents Prime Minister Albanese has but will not release to this Senate. Why will he not release them? I hope that tomorrow Western Australian Greens senators will support my motion to ask Senator Wong to come into the chamber and explain what Prime Minister Albanese is hiding. (Time expired)

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