Senate passes Budget

The Senate has passed the 2004 Budget. The Upper House voted for the Budget late  on Thursday night, following the lead of the House of Representatives which had approved it last week.

In his Budget statement on October 7, Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced a Special Crime Fighting Unit, a new energy taxation regime, tax breaks for pensioners, access to the Disability Grant at age 18 years, housing subsidies, taxes on gasoline and gambling, more school buses, and free medicine for more illnesses under the Chronic Disease Assistance Programme for the elderly.