Bureaucrats get longer to cost promises

Bureaucrats will have longer to cost Australian political parties' election promises after this year's federal election.

The Parliamentary Budget Office is currently required to prepare a post-election report of election commitments 30 days after the end of the caretaker period for a general election.

But legislation which passed the Senate on Wednesday will extend the reporting deadline, allowing it to be closer to when parliament resumes following the election, which is expected in May.