The Premier has guaranteed Tasmanians will be ripped off by almost $100 million a year because of the dud GST deal he agreed to with the Federal Government.
Shadow Treasurer Shane Broad said the government’s own Budget papers have confirmed what Labor has been saying for years – that Tasmania will be the big loser from this terrible deal.
“When this absurd deal was first struck, Peter Gutwein attacked Labor for sounding the alarm, saying his government had worked hard to get it, and that Tasmania’s revenues would be secure,” Dr Broad said.
“Now, with his own Budget papers revealing it will cost Tasmania $83 million a year, Mr Gutwein would have us believe that he has always been opposed to it.
“The Budget papers say the new GST distribution will direct a larger share of GST to Western Australia permanently, at the expense of all other states and territories, including Tasmania.
“Not only that, but it will be a growing advantage that allows WA to provide a higher standard of services and infrastructure than the other states, or to offer lower taxes to its businesses and residents.
“Western Australia has just delivered the biggest budget surplus in its history – a surplus big enough to cover Tasmania’s entire health, education, housing and police budgets combined, while the Tasmanian Liberals borrow $2 million dollars every day and our health system lurches from crisis to crisis.
“Mr Gutwein may have forgotten about his support for the new deal in 2018 but others have not.
“Back then, the Premier told Parliament that he had received a commitment from the Prime Minister that Tasmania would receive “not one dollar, not one cent less” from the deal and that he was happy to take Mr Morrison at his word.
“Now it is clear that Tasmanians have been sold out by their own government and the Prime Minister’s word is worthless.
“Mr Gutwein owes all Tasmanians an explanation as to why he signed us up to a deal that is so clearly not in Tasmania’s best interests.
“And, crucially, he needs to explain what he will do to fix it.”
Shane Broad MP
Shadow Treasurer
