Australia Upper House Votes To Delay Stimulus Bill

The government announced the package on Tuesday and demanded speedy passage of the stimulus legislation to protect jobs.

Australian parliament's upper house on Thursday agreed to hold an inquiry into a A$42 billion ($27.25 billion) economic stimulus package announced by the government this week, delaying approval of the bill.

Conservative opposition senators, key Greens and swing vote independents joined forces to out-vote the centre-left government and call Treasury Department officials for questioning about the recession-fighting package.

The government announced the package on Tuesday and demanded speedy passage of the stimulus legislation to protect jobs, hand A$12.7 billion in cash payments to low and mid-income families and begin a A$28.8 billion reshaping of infrastructure and schools.

Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said any delay to the package could cost Australia's economy as "international forces" continued to buffet the economy, driving up joblessness and halving growth this year to 1 percent.

The Senate agreed to hold a two-day inquiry stretching across two upper house committees lasting until Monday, after which debate on the stimulus package would begin.

Conservative government opponents hold the largest voting bloc in the upper house Senate, while an assortment of Greens and independent senators wield the balance of power.