WA CCI calls on Gillard, Abbott to act

The WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released a list of local issues it wants the Coalition and Labor to deal with in the last 17 days of the federal election campaign.

CCI chief executive James Pearson said that so far neither side had tackled the key challenges facing the nation.

"It is critical that the remaining days of the campaign are spent debating the issues, and developing good policy, to ensure WA is able to meet its economic potential," he said.

The CCI has released a "Strategic Growth" list which it says sets out a comprehensive reform agenda addressing issues including Federation, taxation, infrastructure, labour shortages, industrial relations, health and climate change.

Mr Pearson said the relationship between the States and Commonwealth need to be improved.

"CCI is calling for an independent review of jurisdictional boundaries to determine allocations of policy, spending and revenue raising responsibilities, and moving to an equal per capita share of GST dollars," he said.

He has continued to push for the scrapping of the mining tax.

On the issue of health, Mr Pearson said that the system is not equipped to deal with an ageing population.

"CCI calls for the new government to embark on a genuine reform agenda that ends the blame game and cost shifting between government, adopting strategies to attract and retain the staff needed and shifts the focus of healthcare from hospitals and GP's to preventative care," he said.

He said any climate change policy must mitigate carbon emissions without reducing the competitiveness of Australia's industries, provide sufficient education and support to small and medium enterprises and ensure that Australia is part of a market based, global solution.

"Time is running out," Mr Pearson added.

"There's only two and a half weeks left in the election campaign. Both sides of politics must deliver policies that meet the needs of WA's employers and helps to secure the Nation's future."