The public finance system of Singapore consists of four “pillars”: the budget sector itself; the Central Provident Fund; the government investment agencies; and various special funds not consolidated into the budget. The budget process is characterised by close interministerial co-operation...

In June 2003, the Budget Office of the Ministry of Finance of Chile requested the OECD to carry out a review of the Chilean budgeting system in a similar fashion as it does for its member countries. The OECD responded positively to this request, recognising that Chile is an established observer...

There would appear to be a growing consensus among OECD member countries concerning the merits of adopting accrual accounting in the public sector. Nearly one-third of member countries have adopted full accrual accounting and a number of other member countries have adopted accrual accounting for...

The budgetary process in the United States federal government is different from that in other OECD member countries. This is a consequence of the strict separation of powers that characterises the American constitutional system and of a long historical development in which new layers of...

From the early 1990s, the fiscal position of OECD member countries improved steadily each year, from a deficit of 5% of GDP for member countries as whole in 1993 to a perfect balance in the year 2000, i.e. neither a deficit nor a surplus. In 2001, member countries experienced a deficit of 1% of...

This review of budgeting in Australia concentrates on the national government only. The article first discusses Australia’s recent economic and fiscal performance and then focuses on the budget formulation process. After a discussion of the role of the Parliament, the article reviews various...