Productivity Commission says ‘line was crossed’ when WA premier labelled them ‘east coast clowns’ over GST

Australia's Productivity Commission has strongly condemned personal attacks against its integrity as "unacceptable." The commission faced a fierce political backlash, including name-calling, after releasing a scathing assessment of Western Australia's GST deal, labeling it a costly mistake.

Commissioner Angela Jackson, a co-author of the report, stated that the country's leading independent economic advisory body welcomes criticism and comments on its work. However, she also expressed disappointment that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already ruled out any potential changes to Western Australia's GST arrangements. The commission's findings have ignited a debate over the fairness and economic impact of the state's special GST deal.

The Productivity Commission's role is to provide independent advice on policies to improve the nation's productivity and living standards. Its assessment of the WA GST deal highlights a significant point of contention in Australian federal-financial relations, with the commission asserting that the integrity of its analysis was unfairly challenged.

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disappointing