Credit: smartin69
Treasury and the Department of Finance have announced the protocols for costing election commitments during the Government’s and therefore the Australian Public Service’s, caretaker period in the lead-up to next month’s General Election.
A statement from the two Agencies said that in accordance with the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998, the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, or a minority party with at least five Members in the Parliament, can request through the Prime Minister for the Secretaries of the Treasury and Finance to cost election commitments.
“The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) will prepare election policy costings upon request from a Parliamentary party or a sitting Independent Member of Parliament seeking re-election,” the statement said.
“Parties with fewer than five members in either House of Parliament and Independent Members of Parliament can have their policies costed by the PBO.”
The statement said all costings would be prepared consistent with the Charter of Budget Honesty Policy Costing Guidelines, issued by the Secretaries of the Treasury and Finance.
In a further statement, the PBO said it prepares and publishes lists of election commitments for all major Parliamentary parties.
“These parties need to provide a list of their election commitments to the Parliamentary Budget Officer by 5pm on the day before polling day. The lists are to be publicly released on the day after polling day,” the PBO said.
“Within 30 days after the end of the caretaker period for a General Election, or seven days before the first sitting day of Parliament, we publish a report that presents the Budget impacts of each of the election commitments of the major parliamentary parties, including their aggregate impact on the fiscal position.”
Information on the caretaker conventions can be accessed on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website at this PS News link.
