The Australian government forced a massive economic stimulus package through parliament's lower house Thursday but it ran into a roadblock in the Senate.
The A$42 billion (US$27 billion) package is designed to boost the economy amid the global financial crisis and centre-left Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has urged its swift approval.
The conservative Liberal Party opposition has vowed to block the legislation, however, saying it is financially irresponsible and will drive the budget deep into deficit.
Warning of an "unfolding national and international economic emergency", Rudd used his strong majority to push the package through the House of Representatives in a heated all-night session ending at dawn.
But minority parties and independents hold the balance of power in the upper house, or Senate, which decided later in the day to hold an inquiry into the package that will deny it any chance of final approval until next Thursday.
The package includes spending of A$28.8 billion on schools, housing and roads over four years, tax breaks for small businesses and cash handouts of A$12.7 billion to eligible workers, farmers and students.
Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull said his party's stance may prove unpopular with voters but he was not willing to saddle future generations with massive debts by rubber-stamping the government's plans.
"Their package is too big," he said. "It's too much money, too much debt at this time.
"I know this is an unpopular thing to say. I know we'll take a hit in the polls, but it's the right and responsible thing to do."
Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said the government needed to act quickly to avoid a looming recession.
"If we don't respond vigorously... there is going to be a lot more misery in Australia generally," he told public radio.
The payout plan comes hard on the heels of a A$10.4 billion stimulus package released in December that targeted pensioners, low-income earners and others in a bid to boost consumer spending.
The A$42 billion (US$27 billion) package is designed to boost the economy amid the global financial crisis and centre-left Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has urged its swift approval.
The conservative Liberal Party opposition has vowed to block the legislation, however, saying it is financially irresponsible and will drive the budget deep into deficit.
Warning of an "unfolding national and international economic emergency", Rudd used his strong majority to push the package through the House of Representatives in a heated all-night session ending at dawn.
But minority parties and independents hold the balance of power in the upper house, or Senate, which decided later in the day to hold an inquiry into the package that will deny it any chance of final approval until next Thursday.
The package includes spending of A$28.8 billion on schools, housing and roads over four years, tax breaks for small businesses and cash handouts of A$12.7 billion to eligible workers, farmers and students.
Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull said his party's stance may prove unpopular with voters but he was not willing to saddle future generations with massive debts by rubber-stamping the government's plans.
"Their package is too big," he said. "It's too much money, too much debt at this time.
"I know this is an unpopular thing to say. I know we'll take a hit in the polls, but it's the right and responsible thing to do."
Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said the government needed to act quickly to avoid a looming recession.
"If we don't respond vigorously... there is going to be a lot more misery in Australia generally," he told public radio.
The payout plan comes hard on the heels of a A$10.4 billion stimulus package released in December that targeted pensioners, low-income earners and others in a bid to boost consumer spending.
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