Parliamentary Budget Office

{{Short description|Australian parliament financial advisors}}

{{about|the Australian agency|the Canadian agency|Parliamentary Budget Officer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use Australian English|date=December 2018}}

{{Infobox government agency

| agency_name = Parliamentary Budget Office

| logo = Parliamentary Budget Office logo.svg

| headquarters = Canberra

| formed = {{Start date and age|2012|07|23}}{{cite web |title=Case study - Parliamentary Budget Office |url=http://www.naa.gov.au/information-management/digital-transition-and-digital-continuity/digital-excellence-awards/parliamentary-budget-office.aspx |website=National Archives of Australia |publisher=Australian Government |accessdate=13 December 2018 |language=en-AU |archive-date=16 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216030849/http://www.naa.gov.au/information-management/digital-transition-and-digital-continuity/digital-excellence-awards/parliamentary-budget-office.aspx |url-status=live }}

| jurisdiction = Parliament of Australia

| chief1_name = Sam Reinhardt

| chief1_position = Parliamentary Budget Officer

| website = {{URL|pbo.gov.au}}

}}

The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) is an agency of the Australian Parliament whose purpose is to "inform the parliament by providing independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implications of proposals".{{cite journal |title=Australia |journal=OECD Journal on Budgeting |date=2016 |volume=2015 |issue=2 |pages=31–48 |url=http://www.oecd.org/gov/budgeting/Australia.pdf |accessdate=18 January 2019 |archive-date=19 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119121018/http://www.oecd.org/gov/budgeting/Australia.pdf |url-status=live }}{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|psa1999235|Parliamentary Service Act 1999|64B}} It was established by the Gillard government following minority government formation negotiations.{{cite news |last1=Mulgan |first1=Richard |title=Costing the promises: what is a Parliamentary Budget Office? |url=https://theconversation.com/costing-the-promises-what-is-a-parliamentary-budget-office-3061 |accessdate=18 January 2019 |work=The Conversation |date=13 September 2011 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Lenore |last2=Murphy |first2=Katharine |last3=Pankhania |first3=Madhvi |last4=Bennett |first4=Christian |title=Julia Gillard: a life in politics |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/jun/27/julia-gillard-career-timeline |accessdate=14 December 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=27 June 2013}} Following that commitment, a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Parliamentary Budget Office was convened, chaired by John Faulkner.{{cite news |last1=Burgess |first1=Verona |title=PBO a no-brainer for Abbott |url=https://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/pbo-a-no-brainer-for-abbott-20110401-ihyqx |accessdate=18 January 2019 |work=Australian Financial Review |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=31 March 2011 |language=en}} The PBO's independence is enshrined in legislation.{{cite web |title=The Functions and Impact of Fiscal Councils |url=https://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2013/071613.pdf |website=IMF Policy Paper |publisher=International Monetary Fund |accessdate=18 January 2019 |page=47 |date=16 July 2013 |archive-date=19 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519101100/https://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2013/071613.pdf |url-status=live }}

In 2013, Treasurer Wayne Swan introduced legislation requiring the PBO to conduct a post-election audit to cost political parties' electoral commitments.{{cite web |last1=Holmes |first1=Brenton |title=Hard days and nights: the final 147 days of the Gillard Government |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1314/GillardGovernment |website=Research Papers 2013–14 |publisher=Parliamentary Library (Australia) |accessdate=18 January 2019 |language=en-AU |archive-date=19 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119121459/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1314/GillardGovernment |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Swan |first1=Wayne |title=Press Release - Parliamentary Budget Office amendments pass the Senate [20/06/2013] |url=http://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2013/092.htm&min=wms |website=Treasury Portfolio Ministers |publisher=Australian Government |accessdate=18 January 2019 |language=en |archive-date=19 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119123855/http://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2013/092.htm&min=wms |url-status=live }}

In its first independent report, the PBO noted that the Australian federal budget had an underlying structural deficit, caused in part by Howard government personal income tax cuts.{{cite news |last1=Griffiths |first1=Emma |title=Hockey defends Howard government tax cuts |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-22/parliamentary-budget-office-joe-hockey-howard-tax-cuts/4706152 |accessdate=18 January 2019 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=22 May 2013 |language=en-AU |archive-date=6 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006102416/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-22/parliamentary-budget-office-joe-hockey-howard-tax-cuts/4706152 |url-status=live }}