Treasurer announces 2015-16 State Budget date

• Greater than usual uncertainty over GST shares necessitates 2015-16 State Budget date change

• May 14 the earliest date to include GST revenues in the State Budget papers

Treasurer Mike Nahan today announced the date of the Western Australian State Budget this year will be May 14, one week later than originally scheduled.

Dr Nahan said the one-week delay had been caused by a greater than usual uncertainty over the State's share of GST from 2015-16 and a delayed release by the Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey of the Commonwealth Grants Commission's recommended distribution of GST.

The commission's report, which is usually released by early March, would not be available until the meeting of the Federal Treasurer and all State Treasurers on April 9. 

"The delay would have meant a May 7 State Budget would not have contained up-to-date estimates of WA's GST payments," the Treasurer said.

"This is clearly an impossible position given that the GST grant for 2015 16 is currently estimated to be $1.8 billion, representing about seven per cent of the State's revenue."

May 14 was the earliest date available for the State Government to have confidence that it could include the GST revenues in the 2015-16 State Budget papers.

Dr Nahan said some minor alterations to Parliamentary sitting dates would be necessary.

The Treasurer said he would travel to Canberra on March 18 for discussions with Mr Hockey on WA's GST payments.

"Western Australia currently receives just 37.6 cents for every dollar in GST we send to Canberra, which is clearly unacceptable," he said.

       Fact File

• WA's share of GST payments fell from 4.9% in 2013-14 to 4.2% in 2014-15 despite the State accounting for 11.1% of Australia's population

• The GST does not take into account sudden drops in commodity prices which means WA's decline in iron ore revenues will not be fully "~equalised' for another four years

Treasurer's office - 6552 5700