Claims that the Albanese Government is “holding WA back” combine several separate debates: migration, housing, federal regulation, infrastructure and the share of national tax revenue returned to the state.
The most measurable part is the GST. The Commonwealth Grants Commission estimates Western Australia will receive about $9.3 billion in GST during 2026–27, around $1.35 billion more than the previous year.
Why WA still receives less per person
Australia distributes GST so each state has the capacity to provide broadly comparable services. WA can raise unusually high revenue from mining royalties, so its assessed need is lower. It also faces above-average service costs because a larger share of its population lives in regional and remote areas.
Legislated reforms now protect WA from the very low share it received under the old formula. The Commission says WA will receive about $6.6 billion more in 2026–27 than it would have under the pre-2018 arrangements.
The WA Government argues the state remains a strong net contributor and should keep those protections. The federal system’s defenders respond that equalisation is designed to recognise both revenue strength and the cost of providing services across every state.
Whether WA is getting a “fair deal” is therefore partly a political judgement. Any claim should identify the policy being criticised and compare it with the actual funding and responsibilities of federal and state governments.