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A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 5 July 2019

Australian Senate passes $110 billion tax cuts over decade

By ROD McGUIRK Treasurer Josh Frydenberg
Associated Press said the additional money
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) would flow to taxpayers
— Australia’s Parliament starting next week, boost-
on Thursday delivered the ing household incomes
reelected government’s and economic activity.
promise to provide 158 bil- Fryenberg said the tax cuts
lion Australian dollars ($110 would be delivered and
billion) in personal income the government would
tax cuts over a decade to achieve Australia’s first an-
boost a flagging economy. nual budget surplus in more
Prime Minister Scott Mor- than a decade in the cur-
rison said his conservative rent fiscal year without re-
coalition’s election victory ducing government spend-
in May gave him a man- ing.
date to pass the tax cuts, The central bank wants the
which the center-left Labor government to boost in-
Party opposition rejected vestment on infrastructure
as too generous to the such as ports, road and rail
wealthy. to further stimulate eco-
The government hopes nomic growth.
that the cuts for more than “What we are doing is
10 million of Australia’s 25 Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to Australia’s Parliament in Canberra on Thursday, July 4, 2019. growing the economy,”
million people will stimulate Associated Press Frydenberg said. “So there
a slowing economy that firm her support. The government has yet to ting a tax benefit of up to are no (spending) cuts.”
risks dipping into recession She demanded in return finalize any deal with the ... AU$1,080,” opposition The first round of cuts re-
for the first time in 28 years. AU$157 million in federal unaligned senators, but the leader Anthony Albanese duces the annual tax bill of
The central bank cut a key money for housing the poor senators voted on Thursday told reporters. 10 million Australians earn-
interest rate to a record in her island state of Tasma- with the government in ex- “The economy needs that, ing up AU$126,000 by up to
low 1% this week in a bid nia. pectation that agreements the economy needs that AU$1,080 ($740) a year.
to boost employment and “I need those kids and their will be reached within now,” he added. The change most expen-
wages. families off the streets in weeks. The Senate vote is an impor- sive to government cof-
The government has made warm houses,” she said. With the tax cuts guaran- tant victory for the govern- fers starts in 2014, when
the tax cuts its priority since The two senators of the mi- teed to pass, Labor finally ment which was elected the 32.5% tax rate will be
Parliament opened for its nor Center Alliance party, gave its support to the for a third three-year term reduced to 30%. That re-
first post-election session on Stirling Griff and Rex Patrick legislation, which passed at May 18 elections after a duces the tax paid by Aus-
Tuesday, when the House — who demanded lower 56 votes to nine. After La- campaign that focused on tralians earning between
of Representatives passed energy prices for house- bor amendments were re- tax cuts. The prime minister AU$45,000 and AU$200,000.
the cuts. holds in return for their sup- jected, the party argued it will be reluctant to disap- The government expects
Independent Sen. Jacqui port — as well as former would not oppose tax cuts point the unaligned sena- 94% of Australian taxpayers
Lambie on Thursday be- government Sen. Cori Ber- for employees. tors at the start of three will pay a tax rate of 30% or
came the last of the four nardi had previously said “We do not want the cir- years with the government less in five years. Only 16%
unaligned senators the they would vote with the cumstances whereby an in minority in the hostile up- would pay that little tax if
government needed to government on the legisla- economy that is strug- per chamber. the Senate had rejected
pass the legislation to con- tion. gling prevents people get- After the Senate vote, the legislation.q

Iraq gov’t detains thousands in degrading conditions

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA national standards,” said detainees often have no
Associated Press Lama Fakih, acting Middle space to lie down or sit
BAGHDAD (AP) — A lead- East director at HRW, call- comfortably, and prison
ing international human ing on the government to authorities do not provide
rights organization criti- urgently rebuild and re- mattresses because there
cized the Iraqi government habilitate its detention fa- is no room for them in the
Thursday for holding thou- cilities. Iraq is holding huge cells, citing photos and
sands of prisoners, includ- numbers of detainees on other evidence shared by
ing children, in degrading suspicion of ties to the Is- the expert.
and “inhuman” conditions. lamic State group. The The accusations are in line
Human Rights Watch cited country declared victory with Associated Press re-
extreme overcrowding in against IS in December porting from northern Iraq.
three pretrial detention 2017 after three years of AP journalists visiting a fa-
facilities in northern Iraq’s bloody battles that killed cility just outside the city of
Nineveh province where tens of thousands and Mosul last year saw more
prisoners are held mostly In this Tuesday, July 18, 2017 file photo, Suspected Islamic State left Iraqi cities in ruins, and than 100 prisoners packed
on terrorism charges. In a members sit inside a small room in a prison south of Mosul, Iraq. is grappling with a mas- into a dark room , lined
statement Thursday, it says Associated Press sive legacy from the fight. up shoulder to shoulder
the three centers have a number, 1,300 had been penitentiary expert who That includes thousands on the floor. There was no
combined maximum ca- tried and convicted and requested anonymity. of detainees, including electricity or ventilation,
pacity of 2,500 people should have been trans- “Iraq has a duty to ensure children, who are being despite daytime tempera-
and are holding about ferred to Baghdad prisons, that detainees are housed sentenced in rushed trials. tures well over 110 degrees
4,500 detainees. Of that it said, citing a senior Iraqi decently, in line with inter- HRW said prisoners and Fahrenheit (45 Celsius). q