Parliamentary Budget Office clearly needed ahead of election – Greens

The Green Party has written to the National and Labour finance spokespeople urging support for an independent Parliamentary Budget Office to cost political commitments and lift the standard of public debate.

“Over the past few weeks we’ve watched parties fight over the costings of each other’s promises, leaving voters guessing whose numbers are right, instead of having an informed debate on the merits of the policy,” says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.

“A Parliamentary Budget Office would serve the public interest by giving people an independent, trusted basis for that debate.”

“Right now, New Zealanders are asked to weigh up competing promises with no independent, consistent way to check whether the numbers add up.”

“Independent costings running the ruler across all parties would give people the information they need to engage with the choices in front of them, and hold all of us accountable for what we promise.”

“The Finance Minister has backed a Parliamentary Budget Office before. The votes exist in this Parliament to make it a reality before the election, even if only National and the Greens agree, but we see an obvious opportunity to get Labour around the table as well for sustainable, long-term, cross-partisan support.”

“Aotearoa is better served when our democracy runs on transparency rather than guesswork and allegations,” says Swarbrick.