Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (15:19): I am delighted to contribute to debate on the motion, which I thank the member for Parramatta for moving. The reality is that there is a devastating economic effect from the reduction in GST revenue of $1.65 billion or, over the forward estimates, $11.9 billion. The other reality is that as we came to government, Labor set up a very good and rational agenda. However, funding for that was heavily impacted because of decisions made by bureaucrats in Canberra. Our budget was fully costed based on forecast GST revenue. I will correct points made by the member for Miranda to ensure the Hansard is accurate. The reality is that the people who are paying the price are the people of New South Wales—and not for the first time, as we know. I agree with the former member for Epping when he stated in 2018:

This outcome reinforces the fact that the current GST model is broken. Yet again, we are seeing the hardworking taxpayers of NSW being ripped off by a perverse and unfair distribution model.

Further, he stated:

The fact that NSW is expected to lose almost half a billion dollars—

which was the amount at that time—

only reinforces the view that a root-and-branch overhaul of the GST distribution process, and the Commonwealth Grants Commission itself, is desperately needed.

That almost replicates the exact commentary made courageously by new Premier Chris Minns. The decision of the Premier and Government to take on the commission to get our fair share of GST displays that, under Labor, New South Wales comes first. We took a $500 million hit in 2018; it is now $1.65 billion. We could spend that money on the health system and our educators. Our nurses are screaming for a pay rise after members opposite froze their wages for so long. The same goes for teachers and every other essential government worker who carried us through some of the toughest times, including through COVID. The Government has a very clear and costed agenda, but we must see step change from the commission when it comes to the allocation of GST.

The immigration levels and housing targets that have been thrust upon New South Wales by those in Canberra substantiates the view that we need more investment, not less. We need more GST in New South Wales so we can provide for our new and existing residents. The economic tadpoles otherwise known as the New South Wales Liberal Party are clearly blind to the fact that, because of their incompetence and lack of priorities, they left us with $188 billion in debt and a wages cap for which we will be forced to play catch-up for a generation. We saw budget blowouts on nearly every project. I cannot think of one project in which the budget did not blow out and the timeline did not overrun. Those are the problems Labor inherited. The reduction in GST revenue only adds to the mess we are cleaning up that was left to us by the Liberal Party, and we must continue that clean-up for a very long time.