Western Australia Premier and Treasurer Mark McGowan says a dispute with other states over GST revenue “is already there” after delivering a record-breaking surplus.

A 25 per cent increase in revenue delivered the state an eye-watering surplus of $5.6 billion, despite an increase in spending by 13 per cent.

The Premier said other states are attempting to undermine the outcome.

“I thought that would happen,” Mr McGowan told Gareth Parker on 6PR Breakfast.

“They’ve already been doing it, in every meeting I’ve been in.

“(There’s) a whole range of things they’re trying to do to undermine the outcome.”

The Premier also defended the big jump in spending, pointing to the pandemic as the reason.

“During the course of last year governments all over Australia were being encouraged to spend,” he said.

“So we launched a massive economic response full of benefits for families, capital works and alike.

“The overall budget itself is a testament to Western Australia remaining open and working and doing the right thing during a very difficult period when other states didn’t.”

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