I F anything serves to underline why the distribution of the GST should be left to an independent body, it is the flip-flopping and self-interest of politicians.
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Depending on what state they are in, politicians will tell the locals what they want to hear.
With instant media coverage, it is totally bizarre to say one thing in one state and something contradictory in another.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott left plenty of wriggle room when previously answering questions on the GST carve up and what was fair for Western Australia when in that state. In Tasmania, the answers and wriggle room differed.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten started the week in Melbourne saying Mr Abbott "should take his hands off interfering with the politics of the GST".
Yet when he travelled west, he called on Mr Abbott to intervene and give Western Australia $300 million from outside the GST pool.
Since the Commonwealth Grants Commission changed the distribution rates for the GST to the states, Western Australia has been crying poor.
The state will see its return drop from 38 cents for every dollar generated down to 30 cents. Tasmania will get $1.83 back in GST for every dollar, up substantially from $1.63.
Western Australia has for years been digging money up out of the ground but now finds itself in dire economic circumstance because of the drop in the price of iron ore.
Premier Colin Barnett has long complained about his wealthy state having to prop up "mendicant" states like Tasmania.
Economist Saul Eslake used the analogy that it is like a pensioner who won tattslotto complaining about losing the pension and having to pay income tax.
Now the table has turned and Western Australia finds itself with a budget black hole and none of that boom time money put aside for a rainy day.
It must first, rather than cry foul about GST or supplementary payments, get its spending in line with revenue, just as other states have had to.
