Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen says the Commonwealth is “pathetically” hiding behind the states in a bid to hike the GST.

Treasurer Scott Morrison should have the guts to admit he is driving a push to lift the consumption tax from 10 to 15 per cent, Mr Bowen said.

“Scott Morrison has a pathetic excuse that the states made him do it (prepare modelling for the increase),” Mr Bowen told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday. 

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“We know that Scott Morrison wants to increase the GST – he should have the guts to own up to it.”

Mr Morrison said the states earlier this year asked the Commonwealth to model increasing the GST, broadening its base and increasing the Medicare levy ahead of this week’s COAG meeting.

“The Commonwealth is having a discussion with the states and territories about how we make our tax system better, that’s what’s happening,” he said on Wednesday.

But, Mr Bowen said the Treasurer should kill off any increase to the consumption tax.

“There’s two people who could kill an increase in the GST today – Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison – if they don’t want it to happen, it won’t happen.”