'I'd lobby for GST hike,' says Brumby

Former Victorian Premier John Brumby is urging state and territory leaders to make a "courageous" push for a hike in the GST.

Debate over the goods and service tax has been trigged by federal cuts to state health and education funding, with the Abbott government accused of blackmailing premiers and chief ministers into lobbying for a change.

Mr Brumby, who chairs the soon-to-be-abolished COAG Reform Council, said GST reform was inevitable and "looks more and more like the best option that we've got".

"The real debate is about the nature of the increase," he said in a speech at Melbourne University on Monday night.

"Is it base? Is it rate? Is it both?"

Compensation for low income earners and pensioners also needed to be considered, he said.

Mr Brumby admitted that lobbying for a GST hike would be a "courageous" and "difficult" decision for premiers to make.

"If I was a state premier I think I'd be putting up my hand to say `I'll have the GST, thank you very much'," he said.