John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Milne comments, correctly, that it was a consensus. It was a unanimous report. In July, the government responded to the joint select committee's report. Of the committee's 28 recommendations, all were accepted; 23 were agreed and five were agreed to in principle. The government had announced in its budget this year that it would provide $24.9 million over four years to establish the Parliamentary Budget Office. In late August this bill was introduced into the House of Representatives, embracing the commitments contained in the agreement for a better parliament—parliamentary reform—and the recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on the PBO. Now the legislation is opposed by the coalition. It is really no wonder that people become cynical about politics and politicians.