House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2) 53 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Goods and Services Tax Goods and Services Tax Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Dunstan Leader of the Opposition Goods and Services Tax Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:38): Will the share of income tax to be paid to the states be distributed according to the principles of horizontal fiscal equalisation? The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly Cheltenham Premier Goods and Services Tax The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:39): No, they won't, they will be distributed on a per capita basis because the equalisation has already occurred through the existing GST base. If those opposite understood commonwealth/state financial relations they would realise— Members interjecting: The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: And any increase in the GST would be increased on a per capita basis. You only equalise once, under the principles of horizontal fiscal equalisation. Any increase— Ms Chapman interjecting: The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No. This is— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is living dangerously. The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: This is why those opposite are actually not qualified to sit on the Treasury benches because they do not understand— Members interjecting: The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, this is— Mr GARDNER House of Assembly Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir: standing order 98. The Premier has descended well below debate again. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Listen very carefully to what the Premier has to say. The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: It is a very important point. The fundamental supposition of the question is that somehow any increase in spending should be distributed according to— Mr van Holst Pellekaan House of Assembly Mr van Holst Pellekaan: You just asked. The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —a principle of— Mr Marshall interjecting: The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, well, the interjection has come back. Mr Marshall interjecting: The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, they have given away the purpose of the question. They are saying that somehow we have been gotten to by Western Australia. Well, what that betrays is a complete misunderstanding of the principles of horizontal fiscal equalisation. Probably the most significant principle that underpins commonwealth/state financial relations, and those opposite do not understand how it operates. If that is the level of research and attention to detail and hard work they engage in and the preparation for questions about these topics, God help them. Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN House of Assembly Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir—debate. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order.