#2: オーストラリアの景気対策、死者にも給付金支払い

オーストラリアの景気対策、死者にも給付金支払い
Australian economic measure, even the dead receive payments.
2009年 05月 28日 16:05 JST
［キャンベラ　２８日　ロイター］　オーストラリア政府による景気刺激策で、すでに亡くなった人や海外在住者にも給付金が支払われていることが分かった。政府が２８日明らかにした。
According to the Australian government, it has realised that people who were already dead or living overseas were paid a benefit as part of its business stimulus measure. This was revealed by the government on the 28th.

景気後退（リセッション）に陥り、雇用情勢も悪化しているオーストラリアでは、政府が景気対策の一環として、昨年９月から総額５２０億豪ドル（約３兆９０００億円）規模の給付金支給を行っている。
In Australia, which is falling into recession and where the employment situation is growing worse, the government as part of its economic measure plans to spend a total of A$52 billion (about 3.9 trillion Yen) in special grants. These payments started in September last year.

給付金の需給対象者は、子どものいる世帯や高齢者を中心とした納税者だが、故人１万６０００人に総額１４００万豪ドル（約１０億５０００万円）、海外在住者２万５０００人に総額２５００万豪ドル（約１８億７５００万円）が支払われていたという。
The intended recipients of the payments were taxpayers, with a focus on households with children and old people. However it was reported that, 16,000 dead people where paid a total of A$14 million (1 billion Yen) and 25,000 people living overseas received A$25 million (1.8 billion Yen).

タナー予算相は、地元テレビで「たとえ死んだ人に支払われたとしても、それはもちろん遺産になる」と語り、こうした給付金も有意義に使われることで経済活性化につながるとの見方を崩していない。
Finance minister, Mr Tanner, said on local televison "Even though payments had been made to dead people, it would naturally go to their estate". His point of view remained that these payments would be worthwhile and contribute to economic activity.

Link to original article on Reuters