Editorial: No one gets WA like Anthony Albanese

There may be 3285km between Perth and Marrickville, but Anthony Albanese doesn’t let a pesky little thing like distance get in the way of his love for our State.

Of the 30 prime ministers to have preceded him, only one — actual, real life Cottesloe resident John Curtin — can claim to understand the unique experience of West Australian-ness like Mr Albanese.

After all, he’s been here a whopping 38 times since becoming Prime Minister less than four years ago. (And that’s not including the holidays).

He’s seen it all: the tennis courts of Cottesloe, the reefs of Ningaloo, the wineries of Margaret River.

He’s taken calls from Telethon donors live on stage and stood atop shiploaders watching on as iron ore pours onto ships destined for China. He’s experienced the ecstasy of a cold pint at Clancy’s Fremantle. He’s gazed into the Kalgoorlie Super Pit until the Kalgoorlie Super Pit gazed back into him.

In fact, he’s probably more West Australian than you are, if West Australian-ness is measured in time spent in Perth Airport’s Qantas Chairman’s Lounge.

And like all West Australians, Mr Albanese understands just how important it is that WA receives its fair share of the GST pool.

Again and again he has vowed that he won’t allow so much as a cent be rediverted to those lousy leaners on the East Coast (looking at you, Tasmania).

Back in February 2024, he wrote in this newspaper that “we are completely committed to the GST deal for WA”.

This April, he pledged WA was “key focus” for his team. “I want to be a Prime Minister for all Australians — especially WA,” he said.

Just this week, he said: “Our position on the WA GST is very clear, there’s been no change to it.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is in on the WA love-fest too, saying in September: “We’re not considering any changes to the GST deal with WA and I’ve been clear about that repeatedly. We are big and enthusiastic backers of Western Australia.”

“The people and businesses of this State make a really big and important contribution to our national economy. The west will always get its fair share of Federal funding under Labor, and we’ll make sure of it.”

How fortunate West Australians are to have two men so in tune with our State’s needs in control of the nation’s purse strings.

And if ever the Prime Minister does need a hand with understanding the West Australian perspective, he can always call on his “great mate”, Premier Roger Cook. The two share the language of rugby league, a 40-year friendship and a commitment to ensuring WA gets back at least 75c of every GST dollar it contributes.

It is interesting that, against this backdrop of understanding, respect and iron clad guarantees, that the WA Government has found it necessary to establish a team of “fairness fighters” within Treasury to lobby the Commonwealth to keep the deal in place, and spend $1 million on advertising in the East Coast arguing for the same.

But don’t read too much into that.

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by WAN Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore