Clear evidence has emerged this morning of a major split between the National and Liberal Parties.
"In today's paper, Hendy Cowan says he will not allow National Party policies to be compromised - but the Nationals have already been steamrolled," Minister Assisting the Treasurer Geoff Gallop said today.
"The Nationals are on record as having given unequivocal support for the proposed power station at Collie - but the Liberals' Colin Barnett has pulled the rug from underneath them.
"Barnett has said in the same newspaper that all bets are off - the project will be reviewed by any future conservative government.
"At the same time, Mr Cowan has cast doubt on the Opposition promise to abolish payroll tax. But Richard Court has been saying for the past week that there is no problem.
"As the more credible of the two leaders, Cowan has come clean in admitting that the Opposition does not know where to get the $758 million for its campaign promises."
Dr Gallop said payroll tax brought in more than $500 million a year even though it applied to less than 10 per cent of businesses in the State.
"Western Australian voters have a right to know what the Opposition has in store. They are being treated shabbily by an Opposition that refuses to rule out increases in taxes and charges or say where the money is coming from."
