GST must be shared fairly with the Covid-hit states
Equity and fairness are principles that Australians support – they drive our laws, our electoral processes and our health and education systems.They are also embedded in the aims of the GST system, which raises and redistributes funds to the states to pay for services such as schools and hospitals.It is portioned and served out to help each state provide a similar standard of services, regardless of their ability to earn revenue.
This once-in-a-century global pandemic has hit our inner urban areas hardest and had a catastrophic impact on state revenue and spending. NSW has also taken on the lion’s share of the task to help Australia’s citizens and permanent residents return home in a way that protected our community and kept us safe.
And yet mining-rich Western Australia – the only Australian state to run a surplus through the pandemic years –while Victoria and NSW’s massive COVID-19 burden goes unacknowledged.
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