WA's push for bigger slice of GST a 'tough task': Buswell

11/07/2012 - West Australian Treasurer Troy Buswell says he has a tough task in convincing the GST review panel to hand the state a greater share.

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Buswell met with the panel in Canberra on Monday, continuing his predecessor Christian Porter's call for the mining state to be given a bigger slice of the GST carve-up.

He said it had been a worthwhile exercise but there would be no change unless the states worked closely together on GST reform.

"The panel made it clear to us yesterday that unless states are in a agreement, it's very hard to get any change," Buswell told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

"So we're going to have to get off our backsides and try and work with the other states now to come up with some alternative models and that's certainly what we intend to do.

"Ultimately, if you don't come up with a solution that doesn't have a lot of downside for a particular state, it's going to be very hard to progress."

There was wide understanding that WA, with 10.5 per cent of the nation's population, would receive less than three per cent of GST payments in four years time.

The recognition was a step forward, he said.

"Collectively over a number of years now, we've at least succeeded in getting this particular debate onto the national public policy agenda," Buswell said.

The state government would use any extra GST funds to reduce debt and pay for infrastructure that would help underpin economic growth.

Source: AAP

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