About the Department
The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) is one of four parliamentary departments supporting the Australian Parliament.
As a newly established parliamentary department, the role of the PBO is to inform the Parliament by providing independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implications of proposals.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer, Mr Phil Bowen PSM FCPA, is responsible for leading and managing the PBO.
As set out in the Parliamentary Service Act 1999, the Parliamentary Budget Officer performs the following functions:
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Outside the caretaker period for a general election—to prepare policy costings on request by Senators or Members of the House of Representatives.
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During the caretaker period for a general election—to prepare policy costings on request by authorised members of Parliamentary parties or independent members.
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To prepare responses (other than policy costings) to requests relating to the budget by Senators or Members of the House of Representatives.
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To prepare submissions to inquiries of Parliamentary committees on request by such committees.
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To conduct research on and analysis of the budget and fiscal policy settings
Documents - Working arrangements
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Heads of Commonwealth bodies in relation to the Provision of information and Documents [PDF]
- Australian Government Protocols governing the engagement between Commonwealth bodies and the Parliamentary Budget Officer [PDF]
- PBO Guidance: 01/2012 - A summary guide to policy costings - procedures, information requirements and methodology[PDF]
- PBO Guidance: 02/2012 - Clarification of the role of the Parliamentary Budget Office in undertaking costings and providing analyses of the budget during the caretaker period [PDF]
- Pro-forma - Policy costing request to the PBO - outside the caretaker period [PDF]
- Pro-forma – Information requested by the PBO from a Commonwealth agency [PDF]
Presentations
Senate Estimates Opening Statement by the Parliamentary Budget Officer - 11 February 2013 [PDF]
The Parliamentary Budget Office: An Independent and Non-partisan Institution of the Australian Parliament - Keynote address to the CPA Congress 2012, Canberra, 16 November 2012 [PDF]
Senate Estimates Opening Statement by the Parliamentary Budget Officer - 15 October 2012 [PDF]
The Parliamentary Budget Office: A New Institution of the Parliament House Briefing - Tuesday 18 September 2012 [PDF]
Publications
- PBS 2012-13 [PDF]
- PBO Work Plan 2012-13 [PDF]
Submissions to Parliamentary Inquiries
- PBO Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Freedom of Information Amendment [Parliamentary Budget Office] Bill 2012 [PDF]
Contact Details
Address:
Parliamentary Budget Office
PO Box 6010
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6277 9500
Email: pbo@pbo.gov.au
Key Contacts
PBO organisation chart [PDF]
For contact information see the Australian Government Directory