64KACaretaker period policy costing requests—information‑gathering

64KA Caretaker period policy costing requests—information‑gathering

(1) To help the Parliamentary Budget Officer to prepare a policy costing in response to a request made under subsection 64J(2) or (5) during the caretaker period for a general election, the Parliamentary Budget Officer may request the Head of a Commonwealth body to give information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. (2) The Parliamentary Budget Officer may make a request under subsection (1): (a) in relation to a policy costing requested before polling day in the election—during the period beginning after the policy costing request was made and ending on the day before polling day; and (b) in relation to a policy costing requested on or after polling day in the election—during the period beginning after the policy costing request was made and ending at the end of the caretaker period. (3) If the Head of a Commonwealth body receives a request under subsection (1), the Head must comply with the request in time to allow the information to be taken into account in preparing the relevant policy costing, unless: (a) it is not practicable to do so; or (b) it would be unlawful to do so; or (c) it would require the Head to disclose confidential commercial information; or (d) it would require the Head to disclose information that could prejudice national security. (4) If the Head of a Commonwealth body gives information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer in response to a request made under subsection (1), the Head may request that some or all of the information be kept confidential.

Note: For confidentiality obligations relating to requests made under this subsection, see subsections 64V(4A) and (4B).

(5) Nothing in this section is intended to limit any other power of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to obtain information or documents from a Commonwealth body for the purpose of preparing a policy costing in response to a request under subsection 64J(2) or (5).

Note: The Parliamentary Budget Officer may obtain information or documents from a Commonwealth body in accordance with an arrangement in force under subsection 64F(1).

(6) Nothing in this section creates rights or duties that are enforceable in judicial or other proceedings.