Senate passes budget

THE Senate passed budget 2024 on Tuesday evening after presentations by 11 speakers including a wrap up by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

He claimed the Opposition was now hurting from the fact the Government had introduced no new taxes in the budget, such as a fabled "millionaire tax.".

Imbert claimed there was no scope to increase the personal allowance again, as he noted a previous 50 per cent rise in this tax-break from an initial $5,000 per month to a current $7,500 figure, which he said put an extra $900 per month in the pockets of a typical security guard. "That's not chick feed."

He suggested a way ahead. "We have to grow the economy. We have to diversify. We have to innovate. We have to get new revenue streams.

"But not from the population. We have decided we are not going to impose any further taxation burden on the population."

Pointing excitedly at Opposition Senators, he chided, "They were looking for all kind of millionaire tax and inheritance tax and this tax and that tax and when they heard me say in the budget we are not imposing any more tax they want to dead.

"Then when we come with $1,000 a year book grant and an increase in the minimum wage, now all of them want to commit suicide."

He quipped about giving more funding to (suicide) hot lines.

Imbert boasted that this was "not even an election budget."