The Minns Labor Government will this week seek to amend legislation to give the One Nation Party access to the independent Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) for the March 2027 election.
Under the Government’s proposed changes:
- Labor, the Liberal & National Parties and One Nation will all have the same requirements to submit their proposed policies to the PBO for costing.
- The Parliamentary Budget Officer will be required to produce a budget impact statement for Labor, the Coalition and One Nation prior to ballots opening.
- The Government will increase the PBO’s resource levels to support the additional requirements.
The Government’s amendments respond to the reality that the next election will see three parties competing credibly to form NSW’s next Government, even though the current legislation only contemplates a traditional Labor vs Coalition contest.
The legislation will only proceed with the support of the Liberal & National Parties in both houses.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:
“I look forward to going to the polls and asking for a mandate to deliver Labor’s real solutions to the cost-of-living crisis, as well as for our plans to invest more in essential services.
“And I am looking forward to seeing the ideas put forward by both the Coalition and One Nation.
“But right now, voters will only get advice from the independent PBO on the costs of the Coalition and Labor’s policies. They should get that same advice about One Nation’s policies.
“One Nation has made no secret of how much they admire American and Argentinian-style wage policies, healthcare policies and cuts to the public service. No doubt they will want to import these ideas into NSW, but voters deserve to have independent advice about what they mean for them. Just like they do for both Labor’s and the Coalition’s plans.
“NSW can’t afford to live in budget fantasy lands. Especially when economic conditions are so uncertain. That’s why we have a PBO. That’s why the PBO should get to provide voters with independent advice about One Nation’s policies, just like it does for Labor’s and the Coalition’s.”
