WA’S drawn-out fight for a fairer GST could be drawn out further, with speculation the Turnbull Government could delay the public release of the Productivity Commission’s final report on GST reform until after the State and Federal budgets in May.

Sources told The Sunday Times this week the Turnbull Government was panicking that any hint of GST reform — which would rob other States and Territories of billions of dollars in GST monies — could have a detrimental effect on State polls, as well as the Federal Election due in 2019. The South Australian and Tasmanian State elections are due in March next year.

The Productivity Commission’s horizontal fiscal report is due to be handed to the Australian Government by January 31.

But the Productivity Commission Act 1998 allows Treasurer Scott Morrison to delay the tabling of the Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation report in Federal Parliament for a maximum 25 sitting days after receiving the report from the commission.

Sources said Mr Turnbull was also preparing a multibillion-dollar cash splash for WA in the May Federal Budget, as a way of appeasing WA voters who want swift action on the GST.

Mr Morrison this week refused to say when the final Productivity Commission report would be tabled in Federal Parliament, only telling The Sunday Times: “The Government will issue a full response following receipt of the final report due early next year.

“The Turnbull Government’s goal is to deliver a fairer, more durable and more efficient system for implementing HFE into the future.

“The Turnbull Government has been open and honest about Western Australians copping a raw deal from the current GST payments system. There are real and genuine grievances from Western Australians concerned they are not getting their fair share. We understand this. We were the first to acknowledge it and do something about it.”

The Productivity Commission released its draft report in October this year, saying the current system created significant weaknesses.

WA Liberal Senator Dean Smith said yesterday the commission’s draft report was “a strong and convincing case that GST reform is in both WA’s interest and critical for the future economic growth of Australia’’.

“WA must be sensitive to the concerns of other States and Territories, but their concerns cannot dictate the final shape of GST reform,” he said.

“Western Australians have been patient and conscientious in arguing for GST reform and I am confident Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison will reward this with a meaningful and thorough GST reform response that sets WA up for future jobs and economic growth.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan said yesterday that WA expected swift action from the Federal Liberal Government.

“We’ve been ripped off for so long and we haven’t seen a solution from the Federal Government,” he said.