Transparency (Open Budget Index) 55/100
The Government of Papua New Guinea provides the public with limited budget information.
Public Participation 23/100
The Government of Papua New Guinea is weak in providing the public with opportunities to engage in the budget process.
Budget Oversight
By legislature 36/100
Budget oversight by the legislature in Papua New Guinea is weak.
By auditor 50/100
Budget oversight by the supreme audit institution in Papua New Guinea is limited.
Recommendations
Improving Transparency
Papua New Guinea should prioritize the following actions to improve budget transparency:
- Produce and publish an Audit Report, In-Year Reports, and Citizens Budget.
- Increase the comprehensiveness of the Executive’s Budget Proposal by, for example, presenting more information on issues beyond the core budget.
- Increase the comprehensiveness of the Year-End Report.
Improving Participation
Papua New Guinea should prioritize the following actions to improve budget participation:
- Provide detailed feedback on how public perspectives have been captured and taken into account.
- Hold legislative hearings on the budgets of specific ministries, departments, and agencies at which testimony from the public is heard.
- Establish formal mechanisms for the public to assist the supreme audit institution to formulate its audit program and to participate in audit investigations.
Improving Oversight
Papua New Guinea should prioritize the following actions to strengthen budget oversight:
- Establish a specialized budget research office for the legislature.
- In both law and practice, ensure the legislature is consulted prior to the virement of funds in the Enacted Budget and the spending of contingency funds that were not identified in the Enacted Budget.
- Ensure the supreme audit institution has adequate funding to perform its duties, as determined by an independent body (e.g., the legislature or judiciary).