Stadium, MRRT on Labor radar

Labor leader-in-waiting Mark McGowan has foreshadowed a more robust approach to relations with the Gillard Government than his predecessor, declaring he will argue for a much greater share of infrastructure funding than Canberra has promised under the mining tax package.

And Mr McGowan says it is "laughable" the owners of the Burswood Entertainment Complex were not asked to contribute to the new 60,000-seat stadium, saying the casino would be the biggest beneficiary of the decision.

A day after he declared he would present a "WA first" face to his Federal Labor colleagues, Mr McGowan called for WA to get a share of infrastructure funding under the mining tax equal to the proportion of tax paid from WA mines.

Under Julia Gillard's plan, WA would get about $2 billion of a promised $20 billion fund, but Mr McGowan said WA deserved 60 per cent of the cash because that amount of the tax revenue would be raised in this State. "Give us our fair share of that infrastructure package right now," Mr McGowan said.

"I'm not going to try to rewrite history, I'm not going to try to undo things that can't be undone. What I'm going to try to do is get the best deal for our State."

On WA's new stadium, Mr McGowan did not rule out overturning the Barnett Government's choice of Burswood as the preferred site.

"How can you build a stadium next to the casino at a cost of probably more than $1 billion to WA taxpayers and not ask the biggest beneficiary of that building project for a contribution," Mr McGowan said. "I think it's laughable.

"Why wouldn't we go back to Subiaco, why wouldn't we take a look at East Perth if they are far more affordable than the Burswood option?

A spokesman for Acting Treasurer Bill Shorten said the Federal Government wanted to ensure the spoils of the minerals boom were not just enjoyed by a handful of highly profitable mining companies. He said WA's benefits from the MRRT would include a tax break for 274,000 small businesses and an extra $59 billion in the superannuation accounts of 710,000 workers by 2035.

Acting Premier Kim Hames said it would be "inappropriate" for the State Government to ask Burswood or its owner, James Packer, to help pay for the stadium.

"We saw the evidence of private companies investing in partnership with government during the WA Inc years and frankly it turned out to be a disaster," he said.

• Alston *