AAP – Federal parliament has reached its deadline to resolve the controversial backpacker tax, with just hours to vote on a finalised tax rate.
But with the government refusing to send the bill to the Senate unless it can confirm it has got a majority of votes to back its rate, there’s no certainty in sight for farmers.
Thursday is the year’s final parliamentary sitting day and unless it approves a tax rate between Labor’s 10.5 per cent and the government’s 15 per cent, backpackers will be facing an even higher 32.5 per cent rate from January 1.
The government’s apprehensiveness of putting the bill to a vote is expected, after being caught by surprise when two senators it believed would have voted for its twice-reduced rate sided with Labor on Wednesday.
Now, crossbenchers Derryn Hinch and Rod Culleton want the rate changed again, to between 10.5 and 15 per cent.
