Tony Crook (O'Connor, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Given these issues, on Monday night I requested that the Prime Minister make a further explanation to the parliament on this matter. On indulgence, the Prime Minister clarified that she had indeed received and sent correspondence to the Premier on this matter but again declined to make any further comment. From reading the correspondence, I am concerned that the Prime Minister may seek to rely on a legal technicality to try and escape a longstanding bipartisan agreement. In my opinion, such an act would be grossly unfair. Such an act would also be fervently opposed by both sides of Western Australian politics. In fact, the Leader of the Labour Party in Western Australia has expressly stated that the Prime Minister is wrong for not honouring the undertaking first pledged by Paul Keating.

Given the large exposure of Western Australia to native title compensation claims, this could be a huge blow to Western Australia's budget, which has already been under siege by the federal government through the mining tax, the carbon tax and the very unfair distribution of GST. The Western Australian government assesses this as a billion dollar issue. The Treasurer has called it the second largest financial issue facing Western Australia after the unfair distribution of GST. This is not a responsibility that can be sidled out of by a federal government, and it is certainly not a decision that can be made without being answerable to this parliament. I now seek leave to table the documents. (Time expired)

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