DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇺 Australia /Economy & Trade

Productivity Commission Slams 'Clowns' Comments After GST Report

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Productivity Commission criticized Western Australian Premier Roger Cook's "east coast clowns" comments about its interim GST distribution report.
  • The report proposed reforms to 2018 GST arrangements, calling them a "costly mistake" that cost taxpayers $23 billion, with WA being the only state to benefit.
  • Commissioner Angela Jackson stated the premier's remarks were unacceptable and crossed a line, undermining the commission's integrity, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese distanced himself from the report.

The Productivity Commission has strongly rebuked Western Australian Premier Roger Cook's "east coast clowns" remarks, deeming them an unacceptable attack on the body's integrity. The commission's interim report on GST distribution reforms, released earlier this month, identified the 2018 arrangements as a "costly mistake" that burdened Australian taxpayers with nearly $23 billion, with Western Australia being the sole beneficiary.

Our view is that a line was crossed in terms of the nature of those comments.

— Angela JacksonProductivity Commissioner Angela Jackson on Western Australian Premier Roger Cook's criticisms.

Premier Cook had vehemently criticized the report's authors, labeling them "dodgy, deceitful, and quite frankly dumb." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the findings as an "economic rationalist" stance, while Resources Minister Madeleine King expressed sympathy for Cook's position and questioned the report's methodology. Days after the report's release, Albanese stood with Cook in Perth, pledging not to alter the existing deal for WA during his premiership.

Productivity Commissioner Angela Jackson, a co-author of the report, told ABC Radio National that while public debate is welcomed, the premier's comments went too far. "Our view is that a line was crossed in terms of the nature of those comments," Jackson stated. "To undermine and, I guess, attack our integrity, I think, is an additional bridge too far."

To undermine and, I guess, attack our integrity, I think, is an additional bridge too far.

— Angela JacksonProductivity Commissioner Angela Jackson describing the impact of political commentary on the commission's integrity.

Jackson emphasized that the commission, an independent body, would not be swayed by political commentary. She noted that the findings were part of an interim report subject to consultation and potential revision. "We are above politics," she asserted, adding that recommendations might be refined based on feedback received. Meanwhile, co-author Alex Robson expressed disappointment with the senior Labor members' comments, calling them inappropriate and detrimental to policy debate.

This report was commissioned by the Morrison government, not us.

— Anthony AlbanesePrime Minister Anthony Albanese distancing his government from the Productivity Commission's report.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog