October 31, 2018 Liberals introduce Parliamentary Budget Office legislation The Liberal Opposition today introduced legislation to establish an independent Parliamentary Budget Office to restore the public’s faith in costings provided during election campaigns. Opposition Leader Mike Nahan said a PBO was a core recommendation of the McGowan Government’s Langoulant Inquiry as well as a commitment by Labor at the 2013 and 2017 state elections. “We have the legislation ready, we have the recommendation of the Government’s Special Inquiry into Government Programs and Projects and we have a commitment from the now Treasurer to establish a PBO if the McGowan Government was elected,” Dr Nahan said. “Given their previous support for a PBO we expect the McGowan Government to fully support this legislation. “It would also be foolish of this Government to spend $1.1 million on the Langoulant inquiry and then ignore one of its major recommendations.” Dr Nahan said he did not believe the Treasurer, who made a firm commitment to establishing a PBO before the election, would turn his back on the commitment after the election. “Mr Wyatt understands a PBO would remove the politics from costings given during election campaigns and ensure West Australians are presented with accurate information on which to base their decisions,” Dr Nahan said. “The Treasurer was unambiguous when he made his commitment and he, the Premier and the whole McGowan Government have the opportunity to show they will do what they say by supporting this legislation.” Dr Nahan said the Langoulant inquiry had been similarly unambiguous in its recommendation for a PBO which said a “Parliamentary Budget Office must be established to oversee the costing of election commitments by all parties and the provision of information on major new expenditure proposals by non-government parties”. Ends |
