西澳州州长罗杰·库克和财务部长丽塔·萨菲奥蒂对生产力委员会发布的中期报告提出强烈抨击[1]。该报告将2018年的GST协议定性为"错误"，声称相关变更可能每年耗资澳大利亚纳税人高达120亿澳元[1]。
库克直言不讳地批评了报告内容，称拟议改变将从西澳经济中"抽取60亿澳元"[1]，这笔资金本应用于教师、警官和护士的工资[1]。他用"骗人、欺骗性且坦白说很蠢"来形容这些建议[1]。库克表达了西澳民众的愤怒情绪，指出"西澳人很生气，我们有理由生气"[1]。在谈判立场上，库克明确表示西澳只接受"不做任何改变"的方案[1]。
生产力委员会的报告提出了三个可能的改变选项，其中包括回到2018年前的系统[1]。总理阿尔巴尼斯表示西澳将获得"公平协议"[1]。
Western Australia's Premier Roger Cook has launched a strong attack on an interim report from the Productivity Commission that reassesses the 2018 GST distribution agreement.[1] The report labels the 2018 deal a "mistake" and suggests proposed changes could cost Australian taxpayers up to AUD 12 billion annually.[1] Cook argued that the proposed modifications would siphon AUD 6 billion from Western Australia's economy, funds the state says are earmarked for teacher, police officer, and nurse salaries.[1] He characterized the suggested changes as "dodgy, deceitful, and quite frankly dumb."[1]
Expressing anger on behalf of Western Australians, Cook stated that residents "have a right to be" upset over the proposal and indicated the state would only accept an outcome involving no changes to the current arrangement.[1] Treasurer Rita Saffioti has joined the premier in opposing the commission's recommendations.[1] The Productivity Commission's interim report presents three potential reform options, including reverting to the pre-2018 system.[1] Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signaled that Western Australia will receive a "fair deal," though details remain unclear amid the dispute over the commission's findings.[1]