Phil Bowen PSM FCPA
Parliamentary Budget Officer

PBO given insufficient time to complete Greens costings

“The PBO was given insufficient time to respond to 15 caretaker period policy costing requests which were submitted by the Australian Greens on the afternoon of Friday 1 July 2016, the day before polling day” Parliamentary Budget Officer, Phil Bowen stated.

The Australian Greens submitted a total of 100 requests for caretaker period policy costings progressively over the last seven business days before polling day, including 25 on the afternoon of Friday 1 July 2016.

The PBO completed 85 of the Australian Greens’ caretaker period policy costing requests by 5:30pm on Friday 1 July 2016.

Consistent with Section 64L (3) of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999, the 15 caretaker period policy costing requests from the Australian Greens which the PBO was given insufficient time to respond to before polling day are taken to have been withdrawn. Details of these costing requests are on the PBO’s website at www.pbo.gov.au.

PBO Guidance 01/2016 released on 21 April 2016 stated that “In order to allow sufficient time for public scrutiny prior to polling day, the PBO will endeavour to complete caretaker period costings by 5:30pm on the Thursday before polling day. At the latest, parliamentary parties and independent parliamentarians should provide their costing requests to the PBO by close of business on the Thursday of the week prior to polling day (six business days before polling day).”

Contact: Phil Bowen, Parliamentary Budget Officer on (02) 6277 9510

Parliamentary Budget Office  |  PO Box 6010  |  Parliament House  |  Canberra ACT 2600  | Tel: 02 6277 9500