Turnbull’s GST Rip-Off Must Be Scrapped

The Turnbull Government’s decision to delay its final report on cutting Victoria’s $1 billion GST share, is yet another desperate attempt to avoid scrutiny.

Malcolm Turnbull’s proposed GST cut for Victoria would have a major impact on our state’s public services and is the equivalent of cutting around 7,700 police officers – the very people keeping Victorians safe.

In a last-ditch effort to avoid voter backlash at the upcoming South Australian and Tasmanian elections, Mr Turnbull is desperately pushing the final report out to later this year.

The Productivity Commission’s proposal would see Victoria lose around $972 million, or 6 cents in every dollar of Victoria’s GST entitlement. Meanwhile, Western Australia would gain an extra $3.6 billion.

Last year, the Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas took the unprecedented step of personally appearing before the Productivity Commission to argue Victoria’s case in relation to Mr Turnbull’s plans to cut our GST.

The Andrews Labor Government will keep fighting for a fairer share of Commonwealth funding for Victoria, which has been dudded time and again by a desperate Turnbull Government that doesn’t care about our state.

Despite being home to more than 25 per cent of the nation’s population, Victoria is also set to receive only 9.4 per cent of federal infrastructure funding – and all the while, Matthew Guy remains silent about the fact his Liberal mates are ripping Victorians off.

In contrast, Turnbull’s home state of New South Wales receives more than 45 per cent of infrastructure funding.


Quotes attributable to Acting Premier and Treasurer Tim Pallas

 “Victoria is already being dudded by Malcolm Turnbull. Now he wants to rip out another $1 billion from our state – the equivalent of 7,700 frontline police officers.”

“Rather than trying to save his own job, and those of Liberals in South Australia and Tasmania, Mr Turnbull needs to scrap his GST cut for Victoria and start governing for every Australian.”

“Unlike the Victorian Liberals who remain silent as our state is ripped off by Malcolm Turnbull, the Andrews Labor Government will always put Victoria first and fight for our fair share.”