Election promise costings report extended

Bureaucrats are set to have longer to cost the election promises of Australia's political parties following the 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 draft laws which passed the lower house on Wednesday will extend the reporting deadline, allowing it to be closer to when parliament resumes following the election, which is expected in May.