QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: TAKE NOTE OF ANSWERS
Senator DEAN SMITH (Western Australia) (15:06): I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Today in question time, we have tested and exposed the Prime Minister's lack of integrity. The Prime Minister's integrity will be tested again in just 24 hours.
Tomorrow is a big day for Western Australia. It's a big day and a big test for Labor premier Roger Cook. It's also a big day and a big test for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Tomorrow, the Productivity Commission will release its interim report on the 2018 GST deal that corrected a great anomaly in the GST distribution system—a system that imperilled Western Australia; a new system that has finally liberated Western Australia and given it financial fairness. It's a test for Roger Cook, because we will find out whether Premier Roger Cook has failed or succeeded in convincing the Productivity Commission to keep WA's GST deal.
It's also a test for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, when that draft report is released, can and should do just one thing, and that is to reject immediately, tomorrow afternoon, every anti-WA recommendation in that interim report. It's just one thing the Prime Minister has to do tomorrow.
It's a big test of his integrity. It's a big test for the Prime Minister about whether or not he really does back WA. Roger Cook has made lots of noise, lots of sound, about standing up for WA.
Well, tomorrow we'll find out whether Roger Cook has been strong or weak in standing up for Western Australia. Three key facts make the case for WA's GST deal. The first fact is that, relative to population, WA is still providing $2½ billion worth of subsidy to every other state and territory.
The second fact is that no other state has ever fallen below 83c in the dollar. That makes the 75c floor very fair and very reasonable. The third fact is that every state has been benefiting from higher iron ore prices since the 2018 GST deal.
It's estimated that every state and territory will benefit to the tune of a total of $31 billion. Think about that. Every state and territory will benefit to a cumulative value of $31 billion as a result of higher iron ore prices.
Tomorrow we'll know. Will Premier Roger Cook get an F for failing WA? Tomorrow we'll know.
Will Prime Minister Anthony Albanese get a F for failing on integrity? So WA Labor senators—Senator Ghosh, Senator Cox, Senator Whiteaker, Senator Sterle and Senator Lines—are on notice. Are WA Labor and their senators capable of standing up for Western Australia and standing up for WA's GST deal?
Tomorrow afternoon we'll know. The Prime Minister has to do just one thing tomorrow afternoon: reject in their entirety every anti-WA-recommendation in that draft report. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I will just raise this because this issue did come up yesterday.
Whilst there was a tangential link to the topics under discussion, I would just remind everybody that we are considering the answers that are being taken note of. This issue came up yesterday in the other direction. We do need to link the contributions to the questions and answers provided.
I'm not saying you didn't do that, Senator Smith. We do offer a fair bit of latitude, but I will remind all senators of that.