No Barnett factor in Labor swing: minister

Suggestions WA Premier Colin Barnett's unpopularity would reflect in the federal election have been proved wrong, a senior member of the Liberal leader's cabinet says.

Mr Barnett has trailed behind state Labor leader Mark McGowan in opinion polls this year and says he won't serve a full term if his government is elected for a third time in March.

"It's a good result, and if those results were reflected at a state level, the state government would be returned comfortably."

Political analyst Peter Kennedy agreed, saying the swing towards Labor would have been bigger in WA if the on-the-nose state government had loomed large in voter's minds.

Also on Monday, WA Treasurer Mike Nahan said the prospect of South Australian senator Nick Xenophon holding the balance of power in a minority government had dashed his hopes of a fairer GST carve-up.

"If Xenophon is the powerbroker, which I think he might be ... we're not going to get anything. He wants to put up tarrif walls, he wants Whyalla to be the sole producer of steel in the country," Dr Nahan said.

"Jeez, we're not going to get anywhere."

WA Labor leader Mark McGowan accused Dr Nahan of surrendering, saying he believed there should be an 80 per cent floor on the GST distribution and would not back down.

"I'm not going to give up on getting a better share for Western Australia," Mr McGowan said.

"I don't think we should surrender - I think we should keep fighting."