The state government has done little to support struggling households and businesses and left the heavy lifting to the federal government, according to Dean Nalder.
The state government has done little to support struggling households and businesses, and has left the heavy lifting to the federal government, according to shadow treasurer Dean Nalder.
Those comments come after the federal government last night handed down its annual budget, revealing a deficit of nearly $90 billion this past financial year.
By comparison, the state government announced last week that it had recorded a $1.7 billion surplus, in part due to royalties income boosted by record iron ore prices.
While that figure is below the $2.6 billion surplus originally projected, Western Australia is widely expected to be the only state to record a budget surplus this year.
Speaking to Business News this afternoon, Mr Nalder said last night’s budget showed the federal government was willing to fund large infrastructure projects that would support productivity enhancement and attract industry.
Mr Nalder was likely referring to the $6.7 billion infrastructure package for the states.
By contrast, he said the state government’s budget surplus was proof it was not doing enough to support small businesses and households.
“They’ve [the federal government] gone out of their way to support households and businesses during this pandemic,” Mr Nadler said.
“It’s record levels of spend.
“What we saw in the annual report is that the state government today has done very little to support [households and businesses].
“We have a forecast mortgage default rate of double the national average.
“We have households struggling financially and businesses going to the wall and our government hasn’t done enough.
“We’re the only state in Australia that hasn’t made up to $10,000 grants available to small businesses.
“It’s very clear when you look at what the federal government has done is, they’ve really gone out of their way, and our state government hasn’t done enough to support households and small businesses.”
Mr Nalder said he would be looking for transparency in the state’s finances, reiterating his belief that the surplus had been purposely understated through efforts to defer dividend payments on public utilities.
He said royalty income should also be closely scrutinised alongside specific details on infrastructure spending.
“We want to see what [the surplus has] been allocated to it, and that’s not just previously announced projects rebadged as COVID-19 recovery,” he said.
“It’s got to be over and above.
“I’m a bit worried there’ll be a big focus on sugar hits.”
Mr Nalder's comments come as the state government has repeatedly insisted it will not consider reopening its domestic border before Christmas.
The federal government's budget assumes WA will remove restrictions before April, however, the state government has not publically agreed to that timetable.
Premier Mark McGowan today said there was no science behind that assumption and that WA would contnue to follow the health advice it is given.
