Later Discussions
| % of Australian total |
|
|---|---|
| Population | 10.3% |
| Gross domestic product | 13.1% |
| Mineral and energy output | 48% |
| Merchandise exports | 39% |
| Exploration | 55% |
| Private investment | 28% |
| Share of GST | 8.1% |
At 22 October 2008 Vista Public Lecture, former Western Australian Premier, Richard Court, indicated that the case for a secessionist movement is only strengthened while the Commonwealth government continues to exploit the State's resource-rich economy and fails to share the prosperity evenly. He argued that Western Australia accounts for 35% of the nation's export income yet most of the revenue is used to strengthen the "financial muscle growing in Canberra". The state has approximately 9–10% of the nation's population, generates over 10% of the Good and Services Tax revenue, but receives only 6% of what is being distributed. Court highlighted that if the current Federation path continues, then by the year 2020, Western Australia will be receiving only 5% of what is being distributed by the Commonwealth Grants Commission. The former Premier said he was not advocating secession but stressed that the financial imbalance required addressing and that "the time to do so is now".
In July 2011, the Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Norman Moore, made the controversial statement that WA should secede and rely on China and the United States for military defense to remain an independent nation free from Canberra's influence. Members of the Liberal Party of Australia responded to his comments negatively, stating that they were his personal view and not the stance of the Liberal Party.
Read more about this topic: Secessionism In Western Australia
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