The money would be set aside from the Federal Government’s expected $9.7 billion budget surplus to build ports and roads, as well as social infrastructure to attract workers to remote areas.

WA Treasurer Eric Ripper said over the past four years, the State had invested about $480 million on port infrastructure, while the Federal Government had only contributed $3 million.

“The State Government is investing a further $406 million in ports over the next four years, but there is no commitment from the Federal Government to provide any funds,” he said.

“The Commonwealth collects around $4 billion more revenue from WA each year than it spends on WA.”

Ripper told the Australian newspaper the proposed $15 billion Gorgon liquefied natural gas project would boost the Federal Government’s budget balance by up to $14 billion over the next 30 years.

However, he said that the new fiscal benefit for WA, which had to bear the infrastructure costs, would be just $300 million.

According to Ripper, the Federal Government was unwilling to share royalties from offshore petroleum and gas fields, with the exception of the North West Shelf gas project.