---
title: Keeping the bastards honest - NZIER Insight 72
description: We think voters should be given better information about the fiscal consequences of political parties' election promises. We offer some observations and suggestions on how.
---

[Latest News ](https://www.nzier.org.nz/news)

# [Keeping the bastards honest - NZIER Insight 72](https://www.nzier.org.nz/news/keeping-the-bastards-honest-nzier-insight-72)

 Written by [The NZIER Team](https://www.nzier.org.nz/news/author/the-nzier-team) | October 10, 2017

**New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (Inc)**  
**Media release, 11 October 2017**  
**For immediate release**

As our political leaders meet to negotiate a new government structure and policy programme, NZIER has published an Insight on the issue of costing political parties’ election promises.

“Voters need to understand the impacts of parties’ fiscal promises, not how their spreadsheets are organised” Peter Wilson, a Principal Economist at NZIER said.

During the last election campaign, the Labour and National parties debated the fiscal consequences of their policy proposals. Unfortunately, much of that debate, and commentary on it, was about how the parties chose to present their fiscal intentions, rather than about what those intentions are or their merits.

“New Zealanders deserve better that. We propose that before the next election, New Zealand establish a transparent system that will allow voters to judge the costs of promises based on independent and consistent information. We also propose that each election a Parliamentary Commissioner for Policy Costings should be appointed. The Commissioner would be an eminent person appointed for a limited period who would have the assistance of experts from the Treasury to undertake detailed costings.“

Read the full Insight [here.](https://nzier.org.nz/publication/keeping-the-bastards-honest-nzier-insight-72)

**For further information please contact:**  
Peter Wilson  
Principal Economist and Head of Auckland Business  
P: 021 870928  
E: [peter.wilson@nzier.org.nz](mailto:peter.wilson@nzier.org.nz)

[View full post](https://www.nzier.org.nz/news/keeping-the-bastards-honest-nzier-insight-72)

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