Premier Mark McGowan has issued an ultimatum to the Eastern States over a proposed gas pipeline from WA — fix the GST first.

Speaking on 6PR this morning, Mr McGowan said before the east coast gets access to WA’s gas through a nation-crossing pipeline, Federal and State governments would need to improve WA’s GST share.

“If the Eastern States wanted our gas and if the Federal Government wanted our gas, well, then they can seek to pay for that,” he said.

“And secondly, in order to get our agreement to it they’d need to make some improvements to the GST.

“If they treat us with contempt and they do not fix the major issues confronting WA, and yet when they have a crisis they expect us to help them — I would link those two issues absolutely.”

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The gas pipeline has been proposed by former premier Colin Barnett, who said he found it “ludicrous” there were gas shortages on the east coast while world-class resources existed in WA.

Mr McGowan said the Eastern States had made a mess of the gas market.

“WA has done a good job, we have a reservation policy, put in place by Alan Carpenter, which means we have gas available for our own needs,” he said.

“The Eastern States don’t have that therefore they don’t have gas for their own needs.

“They’ve made a mess of it, and if they want our assistance they have to fix the GST.”

Meanwhile, Mr McGowan also revealed the Perth Children’s Hospital would be the subject of two inquiries, amid ongoing backlash over lead in the water at the site.

They’ve made a mess of it, and if they want our assistance they have to fix the GST.

While the project will fall under the Government’s promised “commission of inquiry” into accountability, the Premier said he was also exploring a Parliament inquiry dedicated to the hospital.

“I’m more than happy for a parliamentary inquiry into this matter in which witnesses can be called publicly and in which we can have a full examination of this issue,” he said.

“We’re just looking at which committee can look at it, but they can call witnesses and they can examine it.”