Australia delays 'backpacker tax' hike

[webfact]

Australia delays 'backpacker tax' hike

CANBERRA: -- The Australian government will delay its plan to introduce a so-called "backpacker tax" after a backlash from farmers and the tourism industry.

Tourists on working holiday visas were set to be excluded from the country's tax-free threshold from 1 July.

Under the plan they would have been taxed at 32.5c for every dollar they earned in Australia.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36309023


-- BBC 2016-05-17

[sanukjim]

"A back packer's tax" this sounds so damn stupid that one would think that it was thought up in Thailand ,not Australia.Hey I thought that The US had the market on Dumbness with our current prospects running for president but you guys down under seem to be catching up.

[up2u2]

Unfortunately Australia has been under the control of a looney Far Right Extremest Government. When they see a minority they can demonise or exploit it is all systems go. The majority of Australians have been fighting against this for the last 3 years. It is a real struggle when you allow these bastards to take over. This was just a 'cash grab' against a minority.

The fruit growers simply refuse to pay workers a fair wage and provide even modest conditions for seasonal workers because of this they simply cannot attract workers. As usual people who are victims of their own stupidity and greed.

It has been beneficial for the fruit farmers to pay low wages and provide crap conditions to young tourists who accept the tradeoff to travel and earn a little money to fund their adventures around Australia. Just to stop hearing the incessant whining of greedy farmers who want people to work on poverty wages and conditions the overseas tourist workers were allowed the Tax Free Threshold allowance. The Government saw a good opportunity to grab some cash off the tourists. It has backfired because it threatened the greedy farmers little deal screwing over the young tourists.

Edited May 17, 2016 by up2u2

[piewarmer]

There is a very informative four corners documentary about these badly exploited workers. Its called slaving away.

[up2u2]

Yes piewarmer Right Wing Governments can't find Protection Visa's for people seeking refuge but they can find any number of 'Slave' Work Visas for their Corporate buddies to exploit and profit from.

If Australia had RICO legislation the CEO and most Franchise owners of 7-11 would be in Federal Prisons facing racketeering charges after they colluded to extort people in Student Visas. Many Farmers would be locked up as well for extorting Rural Work Visas too.