最近大家都很关心打工度假背包客被扣税的问题：按照之前的税务改革计划，从2016.7.1开始，针对背包客的免税优惠（18200澳币以下免税）取消，从你挣的第1美元开始就要缴纳32.5%的高税率。

因为遭到农场主和旅游业的强烈反对，近期这一政策出现松动迹象。到底是不是正式取消了这个既定的计划呢？还是说扣税免不了了，只是不收那么高了而已呢？我们一起来看一看。

目前官方网站，包括移民和边境保护局（www.border.gov.au）和税务局（www.ato.gov.au）都看不到相关的消息，除开中文网站的大量信息（因为可能存在翻译问题，我们暂时不采信），我找到了下面这一篇3月16日澳洲新闻网的报导。

原文链接是：http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/fed-govt-back-down-on-plan-to-hike-backpacker-tax/news-story/3b82aeed419fe30154ff15d870a0e837

由于原文较长，我就不一一翻译了，只翻译重点的几个部分，如果有不准确的地方，也请大家指正。

Fed Govt back down on plan to hike backpacker tax

March 16, 2016    12:28pm

翻译：联邦政府针对背包客增税计划作出让步

这里面的back down可以是撤销的意思也可以让步的意思，根据新闻内容，我觉得翻译为让步更为妥当。

BACKPACKERS travelling to Australia on a working holiday visa will be spared a major hike in taxation on any money earned down under.

Federal Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck has told a major tourism conference that the Prime Minister has agreed for him to find an alternative to the planned tax hike due to take effect in July this year.

Under the plan announced in last year’s Federal Budget, backpackers would be taxed at 32.5 per cent on the first dollar earned.

Currently, backpackers can earn up to $18,200 tax-free — and then pay about 19 cents in the dollar.

翻译：联邦旅游部长Richard Colbeck在一个重要的旅游大会上表示，首相已经同意让他寻求原有增税计划的替代方案，原方案计划于今年7月实施。

按照原增税方案，背包客们从他们挣的第1美元开始就要缴纳32.5%的税，而目前他们享有18200澳币的免税额度。超过这个年收入以上的，才需要缴纳19%的税。

The arrangement provides the agricultural sector with a ready workforce for seasonal jobs like fruit-picking, and farmers have petitioned the government over the changes.

Mr. Colbeck said he had been lobbied heavily by other Members of Parliament and the tourism and agricultural industries to reverse the planned changes.

But he said Treasurer Scott Morrison was insisting any alternative be “cost neutral”.

“I’m delighted to be here and happy to tell you we’re going to go through that process,” Senator Colbeck told the Destination Australia conference in Sydney.

“We need to get this moving quite quickly. I think it’s an important imitative but we need to make sure we don’t create a tax advantage for particular workers on a particular visa.”

大致翻译：旅游部长Colbeck先生已经接到来自其他国会成员和农业及旅游业的大量游说，说服他收回既定的增税计划。但同时也有人（应该是财政部的）坚持任务任何替代方案都不能增加成本。（注：也就是说有人反对取消增税计划）

“我很高兴的告诉各位，我们会很快走完整个讨论流程。这是个很重要的动议，但是我们也要确保不要让拥有某一特殊签证的人群占了税收的便宜。”

The Minister said the $440 cost of applying for a working holiday visa would also be reviewed as part of the process.

Once a solution was found it would need to be taken to Cabinet, so it could be included in the Federal Budget.

“Tourism is a key sector for the economy,” said Minister Colbeck.

“It’s been identified as one of the five key supergrowth sectors and as a government we’re looking to facilitate its growth.”

大致翻译：部长先生还表示，目前440澳币的签证申请费也会在此次讨论流程中被重新审视（注：也就是说签证申请费也有可能增加）。

新的方案确定之后我们就会交给内阁政府，然后即可作为联邦预算案的一部分。旅游业是我们的五大飞速增长的产业之一，我们会尽力支持它的发展云云。

总结：目前就断定澳洲政府取消了32.5%的增税计划还为时过早，近期应该会有进一步的消息出来，毕竟离7月1号也不远了。按照文章中的说法，我认为两种折中方案比较可能：

1、还是从0元起征，但降低税率，降到一个各方都比较能接受的水平；

2、坚持32.5%的税率，但是给一个起征门槛，超出该收入水平的再收税。

以上纯粹是个人理解，各位可以自行判断。

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