australia upper house votes to delay stimulus

CANBERRA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - 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.