WA Treasurer Eric Ripper will push for the Federal Government to establish a $100 million-a-year infrastructure fund for Western Australia, matching a pre-election commitment from Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd.
WA Treasurer Eric Ripper will push for the Federal Government to establish a $100 million-a-year infrastructure fund for Western Australia, matching a pre-election commitment from Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd.
WA Treasurer Eric Ripper will push for the Federal Government to establish a $100 million-a-year infrastructure fund for Western Australia, matching a pre-election commitment from Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd.
The full text of an announcement from the Treasurer's office is pasted below
Treasurer Eric Ripper will ask Peter Costello to match Kevin Rudd's pledge to establish a $100million-a-year Western Australian Infrastructure Fund when he travels to Canberra later this week.
In February, Mr Rudd announced the fund would be created by setting aside 25 per cent of future Commonwealth Petroleum Resource Tax revenue from the Gorgon Gas Development.
"This is about working in partnership with the WA Government to plan for the long-term needs of the community," Mr Rudd said at the time.
Mr Ripper said the Commonwealth had been neglecting WA's infrastructure needs for years and Mr Costello should match Mr Rudd's pledge.
The WA Treasurer will be in Canberra on Friday to attend the annual Treasurers' Conference hosted by Mr Costello.
He said WA's subsidy to the nation was higher than any other State when all expenditure and revenue items in the Commonwealth Budget were taken into account.
"The Commonwealth collects $28 billion from WA's booming economy but only gives back $24 billion," Mr Ripper said.
"WA is subsidising the other States to the tune of $4 billion a year, or by more than $2,000 for every Western Australian - the highest per capita subsidy in the nation.
"The Commonwealth receives the majority of the fiscal returns from WA's major resource projects, but makes relatively little contribution to the infrastructure and other costs supporting these developments.
"Matching Kevin Rudd's infrastructure fund pledge will send a positive message to WA that the Commonwealth is prepared to put something back into the economy which is carrying the nation."