FED:Govt to hold Abbott to PBO commitment

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2011
FED:Govt to hold Abbott to PBO commitment

CANBERRA, Dec 12 AAP - The federal government will hold Opposition Leader Tony Abbott
to his commitment to submitting the coalition's policies to the new parliamentary budget
office (PBO).

Mr Abbott clarified on Sunday that once the PBO was up and running, the opposition
will use it for costings until the election.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey had previously indicated that the coalition
would not submit its policy costings to either the Treasury or the PBO prior to the election.

"We will hold Tony Abbott to his commitment so the Australian community can see exactly
how much damage the Liberals are doing to their budget under Joe Hockey," a spokesman
for Treasurer Wayne Swan said on Monday.

"This is yet another policy embarrassment for the shadow treasurer who has repeatedly
insisted the coalition would not submit their policies to the PBO."

The spokesman said a $10.6 billion black hole was found in the coalition's costings
at the 2010 election and its so-called "auditors" have since been found to be in breach
of professional standards for their work.

AAP cb/pjo/jnb/afr

KEYWORD: PBO

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