Opposition Calls for an Independent Parliamentary Budget Office

Shadow Treasurer Sandra Brewer today announced she will introduce a Private Member’s Bill for an independent Parliamentary Budget Office, similar to other offices in New South Wales and Victoria, as well as the Commonwealth Parliament.

She said a succession of infrastructure blowouts by the Cook Labor Government demonstrated the need for independent oversight of election promise costings by all parties and to ensure transparency around ongoing major spending proposals from government and non-government parties.

“A Parliamentary Budget Office in WA is long overdue. New South Wales legislated one in 2010, the Commonwealth in 2011 and Victoria in 2017,” she said.

The 2018 Special Inquiry into Government Programs and Projects, led by John Langoulant, reccomended the creation of a Parliamentary Budget Office in Western Australia and a standing committee of the Legislative Council also made the same recommendation in 2020.

These reccomendations have been made under Labor’s leadership, but we’ve seen no progress to date. That’s why I’m taking the initiative to put this back on the agenda.”

Ms Brewer said her proposal would enable any member of Parliament to have their policies independently costed, in order to improve their credibility at elections, while also having the ability to track the delivery of Government commitments.

“Premier Roger Cook recommitted to a Parliamentary Budget Office in 2023, and I am hopeful the Government would support this Private Members Bill, she said.

“In September 2023, Premier Roger Cook told the Parliament: ‘The Parliamentary Budget Office will probide absolute clarity when it comes to costings, and it will provide political parties that are trying to develop these costings with support in that process. It will raise the standard, raise the level of transparency, raise the level of accountability, and, by virtue of that, raise the level of integrity’.”

ENDS

CONTACT: Graham Mason | 0419 194 792