‘Fantasy land’: NSW Treasurer lays down gauntlet over One Nation promises
The Minns government is increasing the pressure on One Nation to submit its policies for formal costings.
“No doubt they will want to import these ideas into NSW, but voters deserve to have independent advice about what they mean for them. Just like they do for both Labor’s and the Coalition’s plans.”
The independent Parliamentary Budget Office, introduced before the 2011 election, provides budget statements for both major parties ahead of each election. Released in the days before polling, it has traditionally been a significant final testing ground for both the government and the opposition.
One Nation has no MPs in parliament but the government’s move to change the law to allow the budget office to conduct three sets of costings is a recognition the forthcoming election is likely to be a three-cornered race in many electorates. It comes after Labor has increasingly turned its focus to One Nation in the lead-up to the election, as repeated polls have shown the party leading the Coalition on primary vote.
One Nation leader in NSW Mike Newman has repeatedly boasted that the party believes it can form government in 2027. At the same time, former Liberal senator turned One Nation aspirant Hollie Hughes has previously defended the party’s lack of policies on issues such as health and education by pointing out One Nation did not have access to official costings.