Governments Pledge to Flood Victims

[Swamp Donkey]

Julia Gillard has proudly announced that the governement will "donate" $17 million to the victims of the recent flooding in QLD. FYI.

THE TOP 8 RECIPIENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S AID DOLLARS IN 2010-2011
Indonesia - $ 458.7 million
Papua New Guinea - $ 457.2 million
Solomon Islands - $ 225.7 million
Afghanistan - $ 123.1 million
Vietnam - $ 119.8 million
Philippines - $ 118.1 million
East Timor - $ 102.7 million
Cambodia - $ 64.2 million

TOTAL = $ 1,669 million -to be given away in 52 weeks

..but wait, there’s more... !!!!!!!

• Australia provides approximately 150,000 tonnes of food aid every year—about $65 million—to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Chad.

• In 2010-2011 the Australian Government plans to spend almost $4.4 billion on development assistance to under developed countries.

So how come 2011 Queensland flood victims get “$17 million so far”?

[Media Park]

It is unfathomable.

Actually, strike "ünfathomable" and replace with "disgraceful."

[Gingernuts]

So how come 2011 Queensland flood victims get “$17 million so far”?

Plenty of reasons:

- Australia has a vastly superior infrastructure, equipment, and skilled workforce to deal with such a disaster.
- Australia has a vastly superior health care to deal with residual health issues associated with such a disaster.
- Australia has an established insurance industry that will fund the repair/replacement of the majority of the damage (yes a few will miss out because they didn't read the fine print, but not half of QLD like the media would have you believe).
- Australia has plenty of food and clean running water.

I could go on - but basically it comes down to Australia being a 1st world country and the countries you listed being 3rd world. We have the ability to comfortably recover from a disaster such as this, those other countries don't.

[Jase]

So how come 2011 Queensland flood victims get “$17 million so far”?

Plenty of reasons:

- Australia has a vastly superior infrastructure, equipment, and skilled workforce to deal with such a disaster.
- Australia has a vastly superior health care to deal with residual health issues associated with such a disaster.
- Australia has an established insurance industry that will fund the repair/replacement of the majority of the damage (yes a few will miss out because they didn't read the fine print, but not half of QLD like the media would have you believe).
- Australia has plenty of food and clean running water.

I could go on - but basically it comes down to Australia being a 1st world country and the countries you listed being 3rd world. We have the ability to comfortably recover from a disaster such as this, those other countries don't.

Also, dumping massive amounts of cash before the complete picture is known is fraught with danger from the money just disappearing. The more money around the harder it is to track. This is an initial amount and as more information comes to hand as to what needs to be done more will be made available...

Seems ok to me...

[fish]

Also, the Commonwealth will provide plenty of indirect funding through the relief/cleanup/rebuild operations.

[Drop Bear]

If those figures are accurate that's alot of money to give to our closest enemy.

Here we go!!

[fish]

If those figures are accurate that's alot of money to give to our closest enemy.

Here we go!!

The Solomon Islands Air Force is poised to attack!

[Swamp Donkey]

So how come 2011 Queensland flood victims get “$17 million so far”?

Plenty of reasons:

- Australia has a vastly superior infrastructure, equipment, and skilled workforce to deal with such a disaster.
- Australia has a vastly superior health care to deal with residual health issues associated with such a disaster.
- Australia has an established insurance industry that will fund the repair/replacement of the majority of the damage (yes a few will miss out because they didn't read the fine print, but not half of QLD like the media would have you believe).
- Australia has plenty of food and clean running water.

I could go on - but basically it comes down to Australia being a 1st world country and the countries you listed being 3rd world. We have the ability to comfortably recover from a disaster such as this, those other countries don't.

Gingerjulia

[Gingernuts]

Gingerjulia

Just keeping Australia "moving forward" Swampie.

[Q.]

Regarding the floods, the Government rejected offers of aid from all countries bar one - New Zealand.

[Grahaml]

Regarding the floods, the Government rejected offers of aid from all countries bar one - New Zealand.

What form of aid was offered?

Some very simplistic responses here when the problem is difficult. We aren't looking to stop people dying here like in third world countries. We're looking to rebuild some serious amounts of infrastructure, and replace a lot of what would be considered luxury items for individuals. And at the moment nobody knows who needs what. Insurance will come through for many people for part of their losses. I expect a lot of people will find the insurance payout will cover most of their losses. Until that happens, we can't say for sure how much is needed.

Also, why do people separate government donations from individual donations? The money comes from the same source either way. The government(s) will be spending money rebuilding roads and public buildings down the track, so that $17m will increase dramatically over the next 52 weeks.

After all that, we can look at comparing how much money Australia spent on the rebuild effort compared to other countries.

[Footy Chick]

Regarding the floods, the Government rejected offers of aid from all countries bar one - New Zealand.

Yet we accepted a donation from the royal family....

[Hondo]

So how come 2011 Queensland flood victims get “$17 million so far”?

I think the answer is the last 2 words of your quote. The clean up has only just started. It will take years apparently. The final government contribution cannot be determined at this point.

The fact that the insurance industry will fund a lot of the repair work is a key point of difference to the other countries as someone else said.

Can you give us some more information on the $17m figure? Is it the $1000 relief payment for families?

Something like this was virus-ing itself around Facebook. Some clown determined that the Govt was only going to donate $1m (a figure they plucked from god knows where) and started some Facebook "quote this in your status" thing.

[fish]

So how come 2011 Queensland flood victims get “$17 million so far”?

I think the answer is the last 2 words of your quote. The clean up has only just started. It will take years apparently. The final government contribution cannot be determined at this point.

The fact that the insurance industry will fund a lot of the repair work is a key point of difference to the other countries as someone else said.

Can you give us some more information on the $17m figure? Is it the $1000 relief payment for families?

Something like this was virus-ing itself around Facebook. Some clown determined that the Govt was only going to donate $1m (a figure they plucked from god knows where) and started some Facebook "quote this in your status" thing.

Most simplistic right-wing diatribe collapses under reasonable analysis!

[redandblack]

There's some crap posted at times and the start of this thread is a good example.

The Government will finish up spending billions fixing things up in Queensland.

Where does this sort of right-wing nonsense start from?

[Q.]

Regarding the floods, the Government rejected offers of aid from all countries bar one - New Zealand.

What form of aid was offered?

Not sure, tried looking for a source, but just realised it was something I heard on the radio last week.

[dedja]

I'm sorry but 3 letters come to mind when I read some of the posts in this thread ... NFI.

[the big bang]

There's some crap posted at times and the start of this thread is a good example.

The Government will finish up spending billions fixing things up in Queensland.

Where does this sort of right-wing nonsense start from?

opposition political parties would be my bet!

[Squawk]

A few points to clarify here:

Firstly, aid is distinct from assistance. 60+ countries have offered assistance. Assistance was initially provided by the Kiwis, but specialist expertise is also likely to be taken up from the UK and the US.

In addition, every other jurisdiction has offered assistance.

As for "aid", they are basically numerous types:

Premier's Flood Appeal - accepts donations from all and sundry, including the public, business and governments. Wesfarmers has kicked in $5m, South Australian taxpayers $1m and I hear Indonesia donated $1m.

Insurance - to those who had eligible cover.

Direct Govt aid through Centrelink

NDRRA - Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements - payments are made by the Commonwealth to Qld once a threshold has been reached. Clearly the threshold has been surpassed, so by now the Cwlth will be funding 50% of eligible expenditure incurred by Queensland. For example, this will include covering the salaries, travel and accommodation costs of govt workers brought in from interstate.

Business/Corporate Australia - the recently established Flood Relief Taskforce has drafted in high flyers like Lindsay Fox and the CEOs of Wesfarmers and Woolworths to muster the financial and other support of Corporate Australia.

NGOs - Red Cross etc

Private Community Initiatives - eg "Shoeboxes of Love" (Cringe....)

Furthermore, Joolia is now speaking openly of the possibility of a 'flood levy' being imposed on all taxpayers to contribute towards the cost of recovery (ie alleviate the drain on the Cwlth budget).

You can also anticipate the Cwlth being prepared to spend money in addition to their standard commitments in these circumstances. However, I would anticipate that in some cases, this will be at the expense of other Cwlth funding allocations to every other state. Eg road funding. Dont underestimate the cost of 1200 ADF personnel and their supporting resources (aircraft, Canberra staff etc) either.

[Jase]

Private Community Initiatives - eg "Shoeboxes of Love" (Cringe....)

Cringeworthy because...?