3   Definitions

(1)  In this Act:

election costing request means a request made under Division 1 of Part 4 to the Parliamentary Budget Officer for the preparation of an election policy costing.

election policy costing means a costing of a publicly announced or proposed policy prepared by the Parliamentary Budget Officer under Division 2 of Part 4.

function includes a power, authority or duty, and exercise a function includes perform a duty.

Parliamentary Budget Officer means the Parliamentary Budget Officer appointed by the Presiding Officers under section 6.

parliamentary leader means any of the following:

(a)  the Premier,

(b)  the Leader of the Opposition,

(c)  a member of Parliament who is the recognised parliamentary leader of a registered party (other than a party, and any coalition party, whose parliamentary leader is the Premier or Leader of the Opposition),

(d)  a member of Parliament who was not an endorsed candidate of any registered party when last elected to Parliament and who is not being endorsed by any registered party for the next State general election.

pre-election half-yearly budget review means the last half-yearly review publicly released by the Treasurer before a State general election under section 8 (3) of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983.

Presiding Officers means (subject to section 4) the President of the Legislative Council and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

registered party means a party registered under Part 4A of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912.

(2)  If a registered party that is represented in Parliament by 2 or more members of Parliament does not have a recognised parliamentary leader, one of those members who is nominated by the other members has the functions of the recognised parliamentary leader of that registered party for the purposes of this Act only. Any such nomination is to be made by notice in writing to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

(3)  For the purposes of this Act, the date a State general election is due to be held is the day fixed for taking the poll at a general election of members of the Legislative Assembly.

(4)  A reference in this Act to a member of Parliament includes, during the period that the Legislative Assembly is dissolved or has expired, a reference to a person who was a member of Parliament immediately before that dissolution or expiry.

(5)  Notes included in this Act do not form part of this Act.