Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Obviously, this is about funding election policies and how the Parliamentary Budget Office would accurately assess those. They will be able to do it independently by not being subject to scrutiny under freedom of information legislation. I know that you were not sitting in the chair when I started this wonderful discourse, Mr Deputy Speaker. But I am happy to take you to the Hansard later on. I will return to the legislation in front of us.

Obviously, the legislation before the chamber is about increasing the protection for and privacy of any request made of the Parliamentary Budget Office, whether it is by the Greens, by Independent members, by the Liberal Party or by the National Party. It is about making sure that there is good government. It will make sure that if you have a policy such as a parental leave scheme—and maybe you have not consulted with your caucus about it because you seek forgiveness for rather than consultation on such a policy—where you are giving parental leave to people earning $150,000 a year, you can have that policy looked at by the Parliamentary Budget Office and know that the costings and advice given by that office will not be subject to FOI, even if it is a Coles and Woolies tax, for example. This legislation will make sure that we have good and honest government. I commend the bill to the House.

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