Senator MURRAY(7.57 p.m.) —I now turn to Australian Democrat amendment No. 8 on sheet 664 revised. This relates to the costing of election commitments. We have been obliged in putting this amendment to omit the clause and to put a substitution. I do want to indicate to the Senate a minor change, if I may, to subclause 29(2). That is on page 2 of the schedule. At subclause (2) insert at the beginning of the subclause `subject to clause 31, subclause (4)'.

The effect of this minor amendment is to clearly link the costing of election commitments in clause 29 with the provision for supplementary policy costings in subclause 31(4) after the policy costings have been completed under section 29 as long as those supplementary policy costings are provided seven days prior to the election date. The reason for this specification that policies be provided to the department 21 days before and supplementary ones not less than seven days before is to ensure that Treasury and finance departments have sufficient time to cost supplementary policies. It is also designed to ensure that the electorate is informed as far as is possible of policies days before the election.

These amendments apply during only the caretaker period following the issuing of a writ for an election. The intention of this amendment is to provide for the costing of election commitments of both major parties. I wish it was minor parties as well.

The costing of election commitments will clearly assist the electorates in their assessment of the parties' fiscal policies and their election promises. It will encourage parties to ensure that the election commitments are economically responsible and not unnecessarily burdensome on the public purse. The amendment will make available to the government, the opposition and all those concerned within those parties the resources of the departments of Treasury and Finance during the caretaker period to cost election commitments so that the public may be made fully aware of the fiscal impacts of such commitments.

We think this amendment serves again to enhance the intention of the bill by improving the information which the electorate have at their disposal in the election of the government to come. It will make all parties accountable to the electorate and open to public scrutiny. That is the intention of the system. This amendment which I foreshadow is straightforward. I look forward to your response.