Division Description Changes — Bills — Income Tax Rates Amendment (Working Holiday Maker Reform) Bill 2016 (No. 2); Third Reading — 1st Dec 2016

Change	Division
senate vote 2016-12-01#18 Edited by mackay staff on 2016-12-03 03:26:01	Title Bills — Income Tax Rates Amendment (Working Holiday Maker Reform) Bill 2016 (No. 2); Third Reading Income Tax Rates Amendment (Working Holiday Maker Reform) Bill 2016 (No. 2) - Third Reading - Pass the bill Description ~~<p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>~~ ~~<p>The question now is that the bill be now read a third time.</p>~~ The majority [voted to pass](http://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2016-12-01.236.1) the [bill](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5790) in the Senate. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of reading the bill for a third time. Because the bill has already been passed in the House of Representatives, it will now become law. ### What is this bill? The Government has already tried to pass this bill once in November but was unsuccessful because the Senate [wanted to make changes](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/divisions/senate/2016-11-24/2) to the bill that the House of Representatives [didn't agree with](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/divisions/representatives/2016-11-24/2). It is part of a series of bills to change the income tax arrangements for working holiday visa holders. If passed, they will mean that visa holders will be taxed from the first dollar earned, rather than having the usual tax free threshold. The [original version](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5740) of this bill would have applied a tax rate of 19% for visa holders earning up to $37,000. This [new version](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5790) will apply a tax rate of 15%.

~~<p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>~~
~~<p>The question now is that the bill be now read a third time.</p>~~
The majority [voted to pass](http://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2016-12-01.236.1) the [bill](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5790) in the Senate. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of reading the bill for a third time.
Because the bill has already been passed in the House of Representatives, it will now become law.
### What is this bill?
The Government has already tried to pass this bill once in November but was unsuccessful because the Senate [wanted to make changes](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/divisions/senate/2016-11-24/2) to the bill that the House of Representatives [didn't agree with](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/divisions/representatives/2016-11-24/2).
It is part of a series of bills to change the income tax arrangements for working holiday visa holders. If passed, they will mean that visa holders will be taxed from the first dollar earned, rather than having the usual tax free threshold.
The [original version](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5740) of this bill would have applied a tax rate of 19% for visa holders earning up to $37,000. This [new version](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5790) will apply a tax rate of 15%.