| (a) |
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the appropriate mandate for the Parliament Budget Office (PBO); |
| (b) |
|
the nature of information needed to assist the Parliament in its consideration of matters related to the budget; |
| (c) |
|
the role and adequacy of current institutions and processes in providing this information, and the areas in which additional support is required; |
| (d) |
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the scope for a PBO to fulfil its mandate in a cost-effective manner; and |
| (e) |
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bearing in mind these considerations, the most appropriate structure, resourcing and protocols for a PBO, including but not limited to: |
| |
(i) |
the PBO’s functions and lines of accountability and oversight; |
| |
(ii) |
the routine work expected of the PBO and the minimum reporting requirements; |
| |
(iii) |
the protocols for members of parliament requesting non-routine work of the PBO, including the types of work and the rules for prioritising and carrying out these requests; |
| |
(iv) |
the protocols around access to and disclosure of the PBO’s work and any confidentiality requirements; |
| |
(v) |
the protocols around the PBO’s relationships with other institutions and processes, including government departments and agencies; and |
| |
(vi) |
an appropriate level of staffing, appropriate qualifications for staff, and resources to allow the PBO to fulfil its mandate; and |
| (f) |
|
in conducting its inquiry, the Committee may choose to consider the operation and effectiveness of similar offices in other parliamentary democracies and their relevance to Australian circumstances
|