Should we pay a flood tax?

Richard says:

12:19pm | 21/01/11

They’ve already included those forward estimates from the MMRT into the 2013 budget. The proposed levy is yet another new tax they’ve conceived. As I said, this government’s never seen a tax it didn’t like.

john says:

12:57pm | 21/01/11

@ John L

Just tax the bejesus out of us!

Increase the GST, supertax, any tax you can think off, how about a departure AND arrival tax -got that already?,toll tax, super tax,.... oh I know a breathing tax, that should do it, then everyone has to pay, btw bring back death tax kick’em even when they are down - 6 feet down….... FFS. Why not resurrect the dead and charge a resurrection tax.

Its just a simple way out for a government that blew the surplus, well done Labor. David & Margret should give your performance 5 stars for a great job.

Just buy some popcorn and watch them blow the deficit sky high and if you think its impossible labor will find a way.

Melissa says:

01:51pm | 21/01/11

While I appreciate the sentiment of ‘why do these people have so much money?!?!’ Have a think about this.

The Super profits Tax is on top of their company tax and the royalties that they pay to the government.

I’m not sure what stories you were told as a child but I remember a fable or two about biting the hand that feeds you. The mining industry kept us afloat through a very difficult time in the world economy and continues to do so.

Do you think it wise to make it more difficult/ less attractive for them to conduct business in Australia??

Austin 3:16 says:

07:07pm | 21/01/11

Ever wonder why we have a mining industry Melissa and not a manufacturing industry? It’s because manufacturing can go off shore.

Do you think that the miners are in Australia now because A) globally speaking it’s a really cheap place to do business or B) that’s where the minerals are?

Ben81 says:

07:44pm | 21/01/11

Austin 3:16 - Actually I think you’ll find they’re mined where there’s a decent profit to be made.

Gregg says:

06:29am | 22/01/11

Yep Austin, you better head off and check out what taxes are for operations in Cmadad and the two SAs before you believe that extra taxation will not eventually have an impact on international companies developing other projects in preference to Australia and it’ll also be hurting our own smaller local companies.

Ken says:

08:53am | 22/01/11

No we should not pay flood tax. The government will find ways to waste it on beuracracy and it will then be put into general revenue to be wasted on other ill conceived schemes. It will not be spent on building infrastructure to keep water in rivers but will likely be spent only compensating some losses after the event. Government have a history of taking mioney but not giving it back to the cause they supposedly took it for. Look at the medicare levy we pay supposedly so we can have a good medical system. The money does not find its way back to the States for investment in hospitals. Any money that does find its way back their is wasted on a bloated beuracracy. Perhaps the Feds should dropp the idea of steling profits from rayaties in queensland and just let queensland use this money to invest in flood prevention infrastructure. If the Feds take this money it will be wasted on some short sight election pleasing short term social program that will bring no benefit to the wider community. Only special i9nterest groups will benefit.

Jack says:

09:03am | 22/01/11

I got it John L, good one.

Fed Up says:

06:43pm | 27/01/11

Another feeding fest for the sharks, now circling our free blood: some don’t want to pay it, but happy to tak it, someone wants to be in charge of allocating the feed to whoever suits them ... and the working man pays, then pays and pays ....

Governments of Australia: you are pathetic.

Such a great country with great people and massive resources, and you made us the most expensive and unwelcoming place to work in on earth

Jade says:

01:21pm | 21/01/11

Why should the Mining Industry pay for it? They have already been effected enough by the flooding through out QLD and you want to make them pay more??

MarK says:

01:38pm | 21/01/11

Well it was the miners and Sarah Palin that done it.

Just ask Bob Brown

dovif says:

01:44pm | 21/01/11

Some people have not much common sense

These company are hit by flood in Qld and are still paying the wages of Qld hurt by flood, and you want to tax them more

Australian was once carried on the sheep’s back ... this ALP government and its supporter wanted to kill the sheep for food, rather then having the sheep carry us .... such short sighted stupidity

nate says:

01:59pm | 21/01/11

fact is badger, if they do create a flood ‘levy’ most of it is just gonna go into the pockets of labor bureaucrats, union bosses and dodgy contractors instead of actually helping out the people affected by the flood. I’ve already donated to the charities that are helping out the people affected by the flood and will continue to donate. I am however not interested in giving Gillard more money to waste.

Super D says:

02:14pm | 21/01/11

I can only add that getting mining infrastructure rebuilt is a far higher priority for the nation than rebuilding houses on floodplains.

Sparky says:

02:37pm | 21/01/11

The people of Queensland used their tax dollars to build rail infrastructure for the Mining companies, it should follow that they assist in a return of support to the same community.

Gregg says:

08:54am | 22/01/11

@ Sparky
” The people of Queensland used their tax dollars to build rail infrastructure for the Mining companies, it should follow that they assist in a return of support to the same community. “
That’s one way of looking at and another is that without the railway being built there would be no coal mining, no royalties for Queensland and no good incomes for many Queenslanders.

You could say a parallel is a landlord builds some properties to rent and other town businesses prosper while people renting work in a region.
The landlord is going to be responsible for any refurbishment, whether it was possible to have insurance and may attempt to accrue some outlay from making rental adjustments and if they go too high the renter will review their situation.

Suppose you could say the state may have to review royalties and hope Gillard’s grab for money does not upset the apple cart so a lot of people do not eventually have apples.

Scotty says:

09:39am | 22/01/11

Boy the Greens are working the comments today!!!!

Judicus says:

09:30am | 27/01/11

Why should the mining industry pay for it?  It does have to be paid for there is no doubt, but why the mining industry.  I think we just forgo getting the budget back into the black for a couple of years.  No more taxes/levies people just can’t afford it with every other single thing going up.    Thing is the opposition needs to shut their mouths about not getting the budget back into the black if it’s done this way, and they won’t of course.  Let’s forget the politics for a while and do what is best for this country….......what a novel idea.  Queensland is going to take years to get back to what it was pre-floods, there is enormous damage.  A levy on medicare is not the answer.

PaulB says:

03:21pm | 21/01/11

They put us into debt long before this.  The levy is a tacit admission that the Government pissed away our savings for just such times as this.

Gerard says:

07:16pm | 21/01/11

Why can’t we leave the trainlines, roads and bridges in ruins? That’s what the NSW government has done here.

Robert says:

03:19pm | 24/01/11

Ian why it the government any different to a private home owner? Shouldn’t our expensive ifrustructure be insured for this as well? Even if it was not insured like a traditional home it all has a limited life so even if you budget for maintenance some should have been put aside for a rainy day so to speak for it’s eventual replacement.

Much like the Australia Public and Scarlet O’Hara the attitude is tomorrow is another day and we will worry about it then (until it bites us on the arse).

If we let them get away with this then we will end up with a levy for every major storm or bushfire to fix things that we should already made contingencies for

PaulB says:

10:09am | 22/01/11

Our tax money has been wasted with unnecessary cheques in pockets, half-arsed programs that resuted in deaths, and lots of cash for nation-building in other countries.  This levy plan is an admission by Labor that they have (again) ruined the financial base of this country, and they are looking to be bailed out by us.  Wasn’t it the truly odious Rahm Emanuel that said “never let a good crisis go to waste”?

Judicus says:

09:34am | 27/01/11

Paul, you are absolutely correct.  This blog is full of political BS comments from nearly all bloggers.  Why the hell we can’t just pull together instead of trying to politcal point score is beyond me.  So many ignorant, half-arsed comments.  Not worth reading or responding.  Most of these morons should be ashamed of themselves.  They need to come up to Brisbane/Rockhampton/Lockyer Valley and have a look at the damage and they might shut the hell up for a while.  If you can’t say something constructive then shut up!!

CommonSense says:

12:00pm | 21/01/11

Are you willing to leave bridges, freeway and rail lines in ruins? Do you not think Queesnland deserves basic infrastructure, the same as everyone else. Should we just stop our mining exports becuase we are not willing to fix some train lines.

Vaunted says:

01:25pm | 21/01/11

Of course we need the essential infrastructure repaired, we use it to create our wealth, but it still makes us sick to our stomachs to think of the incredible scale of the wastage that’s characterised the Rudd/Gillard regime. I would have thought that was obvious even to the inefficient, non wealth-producing public sector, most of whom seem to think that money grows on trees.

Dig a little deeper says:

01:42pm | 21/01/11

CommonSense - I’d say “let Queensland pay for their own repairs” but, oh yeah, Labor drove them virtually bankrupt as well.

As Margaret Thatcher famously said “Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people’s money.”

neil says:

03:39pm | 21/01/11

CommonSense, I expect them to replace and improve all infrastructure within the confines of their existing budget. It’s called prioritizing. Stop wasting money on brass plaques for school halls and old tech optic fibre for households and spend the money wisely.

Wilson says:

05:49pm | 21/01/11

How about a new 10% tax on every thing we buy! Oh wait, thats been done.

Judicus says:

10:55am | 27/01/11

Stop whinging Neil.  Try saying something constructive instead of having a bitch about the government.  They are all as bad as each other.  Do you think this comment helps any of the flood victims??  Let me promise you it doesn’t.

Robert Breen says:

01:37pm | 27/01/11

Judicious, perhaps you could consider changing your call sign.

eno says:

02:12pm | 21/01/11

You get your government benefits to a large part from the benefits of diggin up parts of Australia and selling it overseas. Much of your food also comes from Qld. With no infrastucture how do you think that will benefit you?

TJ says:

11:00am | 22/01/11

well said KH
well said

T of Hobart says:

01:29pm | 21/01/11

Tim Flannery ?

hermes says:

02:57pm | 21/01/11

More likely Ian Lowe, though he has been pretty quiet recently (thank goodness, I’m sick of his new paradigm that society is moving to, sounds like the Age of Aquarius twaddle from the 60s)

Jack says:

09:09am | 22/01/11

Beat it out of Peter.

Bob says:

12:31pm | 21/01/11

Couldn’t agree with you more, Tony, it must be something to do with the water we, as South Australians, haven’t been able to access, but as Ms Gillard wants “to be very blunt with Australians”, I would like to be very blunt with her. There is no need for any further taxes, simply use the NBN funds - put them to some good use rather than a wishlist item that will be out of date before it is even completed.

dinkidi says:

03:21pm | 22/01/11

I wouldn’t willingly give this wastrel government two cents. I do not trust them. I have given to the flood appeal but not to any Labor lot.

Not Sexist at all says:

02:50pm | 21/01/11

As much as the rusted on Labor supporters would wish us to believe the Gillard Gov were not elected to the position of government by the majority. The simple facts are they prostituted themselves to the Greens and independents to continue to slurp from the INFINATE public trough. The three ALP POWER women at both state and federal levels have proved to Australia that they are totally out of their depth, show sheer arrogance toward the views of the public and have set women in Aus politics back 30+ years, not to mention the damage to the states and country. The current Labor Govs in every state are there only by doing shonky under the table deals with independents and Greens. It is about time we the people demand that a government is formed with the representatives we vote for, not the ones who will sell their souls to the highest bidder! It will be a cold day in hell before I and many others will even consider another female leader. I am not saying Libs would be any better but their track record is 5 star compared to these tax freaks. P.S. My heart goes out to those suffering due to the floods but it is far from fair to expect all the people who are already battling to keep their head afloat and put food on the table, pay the power, water, mortgage and petrol bills to fork out more.

Whatever says:

11:00am | 27/01/11

Flexo this made some sense until you had to add your political comment at the end.  Shame about that.  Now just another political post.

Concerned says:

01:23pm | 21/01/11

Quite right - thousands, if not millions of us have already donated - so now should be pay more tax to donate more? It doesn’t seem fair somehow. My hear bleeds for the flood victims and that’s why I donated all I could and helped in the clean-up - my pockets just aren’t deep enough to keep giving.

PaulB says:

03:23pm | 21/01/11

The Victorian Government Pyramid levy?  I never saw that get formally removed.  It was just incorporated into the Government’s fuel taxing system.

TimB says:

01:10pm | 21/01/11

Actually I think Bob Brown wins the prize for silly political comments re. the floods.

No mention of that in your post though Holly. Wouldn’t be selective commentary coming into play now would it?

kap says:

01:30pm | 21/01/11

Holly, you are so Labor you can’t see the forest for the trees.  GO AWAY !!!!!!!!  It is people like you who are destroying the lives of millions of Aussies.  Pfffft.

Wilson says:

06:03pm | 21/01/11

Not to mention Abbott wants to inflict a massive new levy on the Australian economy to fund an extravagantly generous Maternity leave scheme.

Gregg says:

09:05am | 22/01/11

@ Holly,
Aside from the fact that most of the school buildings were being erected whether they were needed or not at exhorbitant cost for many, how many of them will be empty for 95% of their time, just deteriorating.

It is same again for the NBN, spend, spend and spend some more whether someone else can afford it or not, someone else being you, I and every other taxpayer and whether or not it is really needed and it ain’t.
The education system works fine with connections they have and a decade or back it was all functioning even better without any internet.
Medical information has been able to be transmitted for over a decade and there’ll be no real change with being able to do it faster, especially if we have doctors with very limited english abilities which we already have too.

There is a word called priority and one thing other than managing finances that the Labor government would seem very unable to do competently is prioritise.

There’s an old saying that goes something like ” If you cannot afford to insure/service your Mercedes, Jaguar, Roller, BMW etc., you cannot afford to buy one ” or walk before you attempt to run and that is what Labor need to read up on.

Jo says:

01:04pm | 28/01/11

I hope you realise Holly that the people that had guns or worked for Ansett etc.  That these same people also pay their taxes!

Ben81 says:

07:51pm | 21/01/11

Yes John most people realise that government revenue largely comes from taxes.  If people expressing concern about how the money the government has already collected is spent before they put their hand out for more makes you weep then get used to it and buy a box of tissues.

KPGC10 says:

08:07pm | 21/01/11

Countries are not built on tax. Australia has been lucky that it has mineral resources to support a wasteful government for decades.

Countries like Singapore and USA which stand out as economic leaders in their parts of the world were built on low taxes and small governments which allowed millions of people to create businesses that serve each others needs. Singapores refineries and financial system was developed by individuals. Americas world leading IT and pharmaceutical businesses were built by individuals.

If it’s not from taxation money can come from cutting waste such as:
-$500 million given to build Islamic schools in Indonesia.
-$500 million spent annually at the bequest of developers on first home buyers grants.
-$3 billion spent annually on climate change bureaucrats and subsidising solar panels.
-Countless billions spent paying dole bludgers to not work despite the nation facing skills shortages. Countless billions blown away on ‘child benefits’.

Use your brain John A Neve, the Australian people are not serfs to feudal leaders in Canberra, our work and sacrifices are not performed so the government can suck up and waste the fruits of our labour so it’s time this is reflected in the nations fiscal management.

Toady says:

09:51pm | 21/01/11

Yes, I’ll tell you.  It can come from the NBN.  Put that on hold and rebuild essential infrastructure, rather than optional infrastructure.  That wasn’t hard, was it!

John A Neve says:

09:38am | 22/01/11

KPCG10,

May I remind you yet again, in a “democracy”, the people are the government! If you see yourself as a “serf” so be it, because you inflicted it on yourself.

The countries you mention as shinning lights, don’t have half the conditions we enjoy in this country. They also have much larger populations, so there is no real comparison, is there?

It is also worth remembering those “wasteful government(s) for decades” were elected by you!

As to my “brain” KPGC10, at least it’s open to reality, what is your excuse?

Simonious says:

01:26pm | 22/01/11

@John Neve. Last year i paid $47,381 in tax. are you suggesting I pay more to pay for the floods. Pffft.

If a families fridge blows up and they have to go buy a new one then they usually have to cut spending on something else to pay for it or go borrow the money and pay it back. Why cant our government do the same thing with the rebuilding of QLD. Cut or delay spending on non essential items to pay for it or borrow the money instead of sticking it to us with another tax.

John A Neve says:

04:09pm | 22/01/11

Simonious,

While I take your point, perhaps you could list a few none essential items that both state and federal government could delete?
Rember, we are talking $millions if not $billions here.
We could always start with health, education or the ADF.
Come on Simonious, tellus what you would cut.

Judicus says:

09:36am | 27/01/11

Thank God, in the middle of all this BS a sane comment.

TimB says:

01:51pm | 21/01/11

That would be Messrs Oakeshott and Windsor.

AdamC says:

03:14pm | 21/01/11

Hamish, I don’t agree that the Labor government has plunged Australia into ‘massive debt’. However, I do find it remarkable that they would increase taxes in the face of flood-ravaged GDP growth figures. Doesn’t that completely contradict the logic of their wonderful stimulus program anyway?

Wilson says:

06:35pm | 21/01/11

The lower GDP figures are for the short term, GDP is expected to higher over the medium term than it otherwise would have been, due to the increase in economic activity that comes with rebuilding after a disaster of this scale.

The increase in spending to finance the rebuild will most likely be inflationary, unlike the spending in the stimulus that was used to fill a gap in economic activity.  That is why the government will be looking to offset the cost of the rebuild by reducing spending in other areas or, god forbid, introduce a levy.

Gerard says:

08:34pm | 21/01/11

TimB, I think you’ll find that Labor voters are the ones that caused this problem.

TimB says:

08:38am | 22/01/11

@ Gerard, well them too. But Oakeshott and Windsor had the final say, and it wasn’t Labor voters who elected them, far from it. No wonder the people from New England and Lyne are ticked off.

Sven Gali says:

11:36am | 22/01/11

You forgot Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie, Tim. The people of New England and Lyne voted for Independents.

James Rutledge says:

11:59am | 22/01/11

@TimB
Obviously you haven’t seen the latest polls that confirm the good people of Lyne and New England are very happy indeed with the choice their elected representatives made.
Sure, there are a few disgruntled coalition voters who aren’t happy, but they are never going to be happy until it’s 1953 again.

Evan Findlay says:

04:30pm | 22/01/11

Hamish,
It is obvious by your comments that you lack any understanding of economics. We currently run a deficit, which relative to our GDP, is one of the lowest in the world. In fact we could blow billions and billions of tax payers money on anything we wish and still be nowhere near a level that would bother international money markets or concern the IMF. 

Our ability to repay our debts is beyond reproach. We, as a nation, can afford the NBN as well as the rebuilding of infrastructure to Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. We still would have money left over and International markets would still not be concerned.

The problem with you and your ilk is that you have been hoodwinked by your love for John Howard and his wannabe treasurer, Peter Costello. The notion that surplus’s are the norm are quite deceptive. I wont bother going into the devastation that those two charlatans left this country in, the decline in our health, education and infrastructure systems are at crisis point and hard decisions have to be made. And I’m not sure Julia is up to it.

If you want to divert funding from a particular portfolio to help with the cleanup then why not attack one that has absolutely no bearing on the wellbeing of our economy and slash defence spending?

It was ironic to watch Blow Hard Hockey on the 7:00 pm Project last night decrying the funding of the NBN and declaring that it should be redirected to the flood disaster when the line dropped out. Quite amusing. Who needs decent internet connection!!!!

Poot says:

01:11pm | 21/01/11

I’ll mention them just to keep you happy.  First there was the Gun Buyback Levy, then the East Timor levy in 1999 and finally the Ansett ticket levy. 

All of those were bad ideas designed purely to keep the budget in the black without cutting expenditure.  All of those were introduced in the period when the government was paying off Labor’s $96 billion of debt. This idea from Gillard is equally bad and they don’t have the excuse of paying off someone else’s debt - it’s all as a result of their own mismanagement.

Matt says:

02:45pm | 21/01/11

I think the staff got something like 90% of their entitlements in the end.

If my employer went bankrupt and I still got 90% of all my entitlements (including redundancy packets, sick leave, annual leave, super, etc. etc.) I’d be pretty damned happy…

Gerard says:

08:23pm | 21/01/11

No houses to be rebuilt in flood prone areas? Where do you think the farmers who provide your food are going to live? Should we also stop houses being built in storm, bushfire, erosion and earthquake prone areas? The fact is that no matter where people live, there are going to be natural disasters that are beyond control. Deal with it.

Shane From Melbourne says:

09:03am | 22/01/11

No, if you live in a disaster prone then you deal with it….

Gregg says:

09:28am | 22/01/11

@ Gerard,
The no building below river valley flood levels should be part of Australia’s constitution, unchallegable and in lieu of it if Bligh brings in state legislation to prevent it in regard to the Brisbane River which I doubt she will, it will only be at least 170 years too late for first huge flood known for there was 1841.
She is talking up houses on stilts! which will at least mean you do not need a carport nor an additional workshop shed or another couple for storing the boat and/or van but you had better have somewhere to take them too quick enough when water is on the way and hope the house is well anchored against roof lifting storms.

With our farmers out on the plains, they’ll probably suffer an d suffer unless they and the sate look at the bigger picture and say hey!, wouldn’t digging a decent dam/reservoir upstream from town give us some material for leveee banks [ work well enough for Gundiwindi and some areas of a few other towns/cities]
And then we may even have enough to build up whole building areas by several metres or whatever and need to expand, well lets make the dam bigger and maybe even an overflow come bypass channel away from the levee bank and we’ll have more material.
Need more material?
We could always dredge the river bed and allow it to take more flow and then we might even find some higher ground five kilometres away and have to install some water pumping infrastructure or whatever.

There’s a limit with what you can do for roads and rail etc. but that is not a major problem out on most plains areaa, coal mines aside once water levels have dropped and non bitumen roads dry.

But a lot of things could happen to help out our people on the land who are providing that food for us.

You can apply thought to bushfire prone areas if you think of what the timber industry could do with timber from a half kilometre fire break and then that could be used for market gardens, cabbages and carrots not burning so ferociously.
We have design standards for storms and even cyclonic conditions, earthquakes a little less predictable but I’d not be living in a known high risk area.

carl says:

09:31am | 22/01/11

gerard, shane has a vaild point. In Brisbane since the floods of 74, people are well aware of the flood prone area’s of brisbane, yet they bought property in those area’s without getting insurance protection. Why do I have to then pay a levy, no doubt as well as increased insurance cost for my property, when others have made a decision, that has turned out to be the wrong one. When will people be made accountable for the decision’s they make and not expect to be bailed out by those who made an informed decision.Call me heartless, that’s fair enough, but I have a brain.

Joombi O'Flaherty says:

12:34pm | 22/01/11

Yes I totally agree. It would also be stupid to expect people to pay for damage caused to property by fierce hailstorms such as Sydney 1946, Sydney 1986, Sydney 1990, Sydney 1999 - three of which are on the list of the top 10 Australian insured-property disaster losses of all time. Incidentally, hailstorms account for some 30% of all natural disaster losses and 75% of hailstorm losses are related to property in the Sydney area. So, I would ask all 4.3 million Sydneysiders to please move immediately to safer areas since you are so stupid as to buy in storm-exposed regions

HeatherG says:

02:28pm | 22/01/11

Well, gosh-durn it, 70% of Qld is “flood prone”. So is a substantial area of NT—wet season, you know, every year or so. This country evolved/was designed (depending on your belief) to have a river system that refilled from the north down every few years. Most of our “food basin” down south is also “flood-prone”. So let’s just not use an area the size of, oh, France, Germany and Alaska put together, so no one is ever inconvenienced.

While we’re at it, no one should live on the coast. Tsunamis, you know. Or in Canberra or Newcastle. Fault lines. Or in the bush—fires and such like.

The biggest myth that has come out of this whole thing is that humans have ANY control over the weather, or natural disasters. Wivenhoe was supposed to mitigate flooding. It did—but not as well as was thought (why is still a matter of conjecture and I refuse to be drawn into a political war over it). Bob Brown would like to blame the mining industry for flooding that has actually been a part of Australia’s natural cycle for as long as we’ve been here, and before—the Aboriginals knew all about it, that’s why their lifestyle was not “primitive”, it was perfectly suited to a country like this one (flood’s coming—move on, food’s growing after floods, come back). These floods (and 1974) did not get as high as the 1893 floods. Or the 1847 floods (maybe ‘twas the gold rush that caused those, wot, Bob?) hence, the “Queenslander” type of architecture which was built specifically to help alleviate Queensland’s natural climate. Yes, I will say that the plethora of concrete-slab southern-style housing and aircon being brought up here and built on known flood plains by unscrupulous builders and developers, and approved of by money-grubbing councils and consecutive Labor State governments needs to be looked at—and the practice stopped.

But now, I’ve been reading a plethora of “blame the victims for being so stupid as to live there” comments.

So…. when, if Bobby Brown is to be believed, Melbourne gets hit by a tsunami that’s caused by us stupid humans “causing” an oceanic earthquake because we use too much carbon, or a fire runs down to the CBD because we’re so “stupid” we follow Greenie advice and only grow fire-breeding native plants, people will call you stupid for living there, too, and wrongly. See how silly the “stupidity” comments are?

People have no real control over natural disasters. That’s why they’re called “natural disasters” (or as the insurance policies still call them, “Acts of God”—which, btw, as a “legal” term, needs to go). Yet, we throw around blame and cries of stupidity because we have a veneer of thinking we’re in control. The event in Toowoomba was unheard of, ever. Unfortunately, shyte like this happens. So, we rebuild. We have some compassion. We don’t blame people for things that can’t be controlled. Australia, as a nation, is “disaster prone”. Fires, drought, severe storms, floods… all in or around metropolitan areas as well as in the food basins. Perhaps we should all move out and not bother, eh?

Gregg says:

05:17pm | 22/01/11

@ Heather G,
There can always be a little stupidity at play that need not be and in Toowoomba’s case apparently substantial beautification works had been done by the council on a bit of a creek gully/open drain that they decided they could make prettier.
Making it prettier apparently involved putting in something of a landing and some pipes much too small according to one of their own engineers but engineers count for very little these days when councillors or whoever get prettiness on the mind.

So sure, they got a downpour like never before experienced but the gully had not naturally formed all by itself.
We need to pay more respect to nature.

Alex says:

01:40pm | 21/01/11

Well put!! Saved me the bother of typing up similar sentiments.

Dave says:

02:08pm | 21/01/11

How exactly do we all pay for a tax on the mining industry? We benefit from that tax, not pay for it! Other countries pay for that.

If you have a mortgage, by the way, the mining industry is the primary reason your interest rates are so high right now, and set to increase further.

MarK says:

02:47pm | 21/01/11

There is plenty of information out there Dave.

I know it is useful to believe when companies get more costs and impositions placed on them they simply absorb it but the reality is that it will be passed on down the food chain to the end user, that is, us.

Wilson says:

10:45pm | 21/01/11

@Mark

And on the up side we have near full employment, low-ish inflation and good economic growth. After two inquiries the opposition still has no proof that average building costs during the BER were much higher than building costs on government projects during the Howard government.

@MarK,

Resource prices are set on the international market. The MRRT was supposed to stifle investment in the Australian resource sector, but all we have seen so far is more record investment.

Gregg says:

09:41am | 22/01/11

@Wilson,
You’ll always get fiddles to show figures how you want them to look but you cannot get away from the fact that the BER was building for building sake and building many buildings that will be lucky to be in use for 5% of the time if not a mere 1% and they were built whether or not they were really needed.
So 16B++ has been blown for an unknown impact on employment.

The flowon from the resources tax will not occur right now but International companies will be taking it into account where there are alternate resource sources when considering new supply contracts and whether to develop a new project or extend an existing one here in Australia and the fallout on those decisions will occur in five, ten, twenty years time.
Meanwhile, our smaller localised companies will find it harder to put up a case for international finance because that is won on a bottom line result projected and the additional tax for them means a worse bottom line.
End result, less income for the government and less employment so less income again from income tax.
You get the picture?
It’s kind of swishy swashy as we’re in the whirlpool going down the gurgler or will be for those alive to experience it.
And many already are.

Gregg says:

09:45am | 22/01/11

Suppose it’s the scale of infrastructure damage GrumpyOF and it’s not just for Queensland.
But still a case of tax and tax but where are the people with shovels.

CommonSense says:

01:09pm | 21/01/11

Do you expect volunteers to reconstruct bridges, freeways, Ferry terminals and trainlines?

How much do you think a road costs to build?

Gregg says:

10:43am | 22/01/11

@Commonsense,
And even more commonsense is that not everything is going to be able to be done at once and you can have all the taxes, levies and other funding that can be dredged up and yet you still need people even for assessments, design, planning etc., even before you get started on shovelling.
Government bureacracies and consultants are going to have a field day before Contractors get their slice of the levytaxpie.

Something like a niot of prioritising state by state would be a great place to start for life will go on for the next few years while it is determined what is needed and in whatever order.

Any new levy/tax ought to be off budget so it is not just roped in to make the budget bottom line look good like they are doing with heads up bums on the NBN.

Shelley says:

11:08am | 22/01/11

When SWAN made the promise to have a surplus by 2013 he was questioned about how he figured his budget sums to get that outcome.

He was also asked how he’d get it if some further disaster struck. Most had in mind another GFC, however this flooding disaster in Oz also qualifies.

The man that gave us fools watching stuff websites at a cost of millions is now hunched over his toes because he’s run out of fingers and is figuring out ways to make his budget still come in as a surplus in 2013. Getting Wong to gas on and on and on endlessly about how great they are doesn’t change anything.

That’s the beginning of the Gillard governments problems right there.

And as an aside…

I’ve no doubt that Ken Henry is a great bloke worthy of his Aussie of the year award. However if he’s such a great economist why is it that the Labor government chose the RSPT as the only Henry recommendation they’d implement, and then proceeded to turn that reform into a Frankenstein monster???

If Henry is an economics whiz why don’t the Labor government have the brains to follow his advise?

Clint says:

05:15pm | 21/01/11

FINALLY. Someone has mentioned the amount of foreign aid we give.
Perhaps the government can help our own residents before giving to other countries.
Cut our foreign grants by even 25% and we have enough money to pay for a natural disaster every year.
GET YOUR RENSPONSIBILITIES STRAIGHT AND GIVE US BACK OUR BLOODY MONEY!

Charlie says:

10:37pm | 21/01/11

Gosh your slow. Who do you think is paying for the disaster relief? A country doesn’t give aid to itself. It pays the bills.

Greg says:

11:18am | 22/01/11

You are the slow one Charlie. We won’t need another tax if the government stops sending so much of the existing taxes overseas. Hundreds of millions of dollars every year, and then special bonuses like the $500 million education aid to Indonesia on top of regular aid.

There hasn’t been much publicity about that lately, although the $1 million that Indonesia gave us back in flood aid got plenty of coverage.

When will our government ever take care of its own citizens first?

kap says:

01:55pm | 21/01/11

Holly, you are so Labor !!

tinkerbelle says:

03:05pm | 21/01/11

Hey Holly - why not just take 20% off every unemployed - single parent family - disabled benefit in place of the levy thay may make your labor government more popular! That is of course only until the levy in complete and done.

ted says:

04:17pm | 21/01/11

Mateship…..like Wayne Swan with KRudd in June 2010? Defence rests.

kerapp says:

06:05pm | 21/01/11

Not much mate-ship left in this country, Holly. Australia is grown-up now and part of the “take what you can get world”.

Maddington JIm says:

02:30pm | 21/01/11

Exactly, isn’t this what the “future” fund was meant to be for?  Just redirect all foreign aid for three years to help Australians for once; also, stop funding stupid anti-whaling stunts like taking the Japanese to court. Impose the GST on all donations to The Greens and Greenpeace.
Hel, why not tax the Churches too - the Queensland Scripture Union would be a good place to start - oops, aren’t they funded by the government already under the “hocus pocus” school chaplaincy rort (err…. I mean ) scheme.

Keith Hammersmith says:

02:41pm | 21/01/11

Precisely.
instead we have burnt down houses with dodgy insulation!

Barry says:

08:49pm | 21/01/11

There was ,, but we all know what happened to that .
Labor couldn’t run a chook raffle ,, don’t understand how Australia thinks it can run a country!!!

Aasq says:

11:39am | 22/01/11

Easily understood, Barry. It considered the alternative.

Syl says:

04:24pm | 21/01/11

Uhh Tony Abbott isn’t in power… you aren’t being charged ANY of his taxes.

Keith Hammersmith says:

02:46pm | 21/01/11

nice reply as usual nosthow,  you almost had some relevance in it!

not like labor are relying on that gst for their failed hospital reform hey…..

you have of course missed the entire point of the article again and quickly jump in with mindless lib bashing.  The point isnt soley about a new tax, its about a new tax to cover the waste thats happened in the past 3 years leaving us with nothing for these rainy days.
money spent on dodgy insulation could be used now etc..  cant really argue against that.

HeatherG says:

03:18pm | 22/01/11

Some perspective for ye: The GST, when introduced, did away with a much larger tax—wholesale tax. I was in business at the time (in craft supplies) and 90% of my stock was cheaper at retail after the GST was introduced. Wholesale tax was a mess—and it was also up to 18-24% on most of my items, and increased secretly 4 times during the Hawke/Keating years (at least, that I am aware of, because I was in business during the latter few years). I was able to reduce prices due to the abolition of wholesale tax, then added the 10% *visible* GST, amounting in an overall saving for both me AND my customers. The only thing I didn’t like about it was getting used to being a government tax collector when previously that was a job my wholesalers did.

The difference between the Liberal and Labor taxes then is as it is now: visibility. We know when and if the GST rises. Wholesale tax was a secret tax that, clearly, many people still don’t know about.

In other words, moot point.

Aasq says:

02:44pm | 21/01/11

Replace the GST, Dig a little deeper.

Jade says:

02:51pm | 21/01/11

Paul how is it “bogan” to not want another tax put against us? People are struggling enough as it is with the cost of living etc and you are okay with them struggling even more to pay for something the government should be covering anyway??

MarK says:

02:56pm | 21/01/11

And yet you take the time to write some mindless drivel whining about people writing mindless drivel.

GG.

Dave says:

04:17pm | 21/01/11

Lets have Paul be the first donate all his assets for the flood levy, as he is so noble and caring

Gerard says:

09:00pm | 21/01/11

No Paul. ‘average strayans out there in Boganville’ are the ones who voted this corrupt mob into power and are also the ones that will be impressed by the theft of citizens’ money to fund reckless budget promises.

What??? says:

11:02am | 27/01/11

laraine…........stimulus program has stopped, all just completing now.  Can’t stop giving overseas, that would just be a stupid bit of judgement.  Are you going to donate a weeks wages??  Why should anyone do that unless they want to, and many already have.  Clearly that’s not the answer.  Not much money available if we were relying on that.  Need to think again for some better answers I’d say.

Jack says:

09:22am | 22/01/11

Kill 2 birds with one stone. More taxes on beer, smokes and a junk food tax.

Gerard says:

09:07pm | 21/01/11

Here’s a chance for the independents to justify their election. Make the government set a deadline (definitely no more than 12 months) to remove the “levy” and if it’s not done on time, send the Red Barren to the opposition benches.

PW says:

04:56pm | 21/01/11

So, wasn’t the infrastructure insured too? If not, why not?

john says:

03:38pm | 21/01/11

Im starting a new country called Taxistan….now gimme money you gullible aussies.

Gregg says:

10:15am | 22/01/11

Tony is striking a levy for development of an industrial grade retactable leash just for Katrina seeing as Toby is no more, it’ll have the power to drag any dog through an internal wringer.

” It’s ok guys - no one can tell which side you’re on or who you’re paid by if you you use common names like Mark Dave and Greggy.. “
Might just mean that we recognise bad stuff from wherever easily enough and are getting too much of it and have been for far too long so see something better is needed.
No payments to me btw but you can have Julia strike a levy for my benefit if you like.

Aasq says:

05:55pm | 21/01/11

Bob Katter’s ‘new paradigm’ is still right where he put it, Randall, and although he’s probably had worse, I don’t think he’d appreciate being called a toad.

Gregg says:

10:08am | 22/01/11

@ Aasq
Might be a couple of differt toads Randal had in mind for they have spread south of the border and could even be some surfing the flood waters all the way down to Mexico.

Aasq says:

11:44am | 22/01/11

Well Randall should give credit where it’s due, Gregg. It was Bob Katter who coined the phrase ‘new paradigm’.

Ben81 says:

07:57pm | 21/01/11

Why, are the “born to rulers” proposing that one cent less be spent on the flood repairs?

kapp of Mudsville says:

05:53pm | 21/01/11

I would dare say that money is needed from somewhere and that those Independents should take a good look at things and tell Gillard to suspend the NBN for a few years. That’s one thing. My big fear is that the Piggy Bank is pretty low in Canberra given the expenditure on everything from A to Z since Rudd became PM. Soon we’ll need a levy to fund Welfare!

Aasq says:

06:01pm | 21/01/11

Thanks, Helena. I didn’t realise we could choose whether to pay it or not, and on what conditions. It sounds fine then.

Joel B1 says:

05:25pm | 21/01/11

Yeah, but I reckon Tassie’s got a better case than you WA-ers.

We just need to ship the public-service job Greenies that make up 14% of our population off to Melbourne or Sydney.

PS Checkout the waycool Forestry Tasmania attractions in Tas: Wilderness, family-fun, slides, MTBing and target shooting! (bring your own Palinesque target but)

Evan Findlay says:

04:03pm | 22/01/11

We still will need to supply you West Australians with teachers though. When referring to the federal or state governments for that matter, the correct spelling is Labor. It’s a good thing you West Australians are proficient at digging holes!!!!!

Sir Charles Court says:

08:28pm | 22/01/11

You’re quite correct, Evan, but it’s Western Australia, if you don’t mind. And one exclamation mark is entirely sufficient.

Champ kind says:

05:49pm | 25/01/11

In 20 years, after WA becomes a state, don’t come to use because you Eastern Staters are living in squalour and 3rd world conditions. You get what you pay for, and unfortunately, WA’s resources has kept our economy afloat for far too long.

Sir Charles Court says:

10:21pm | 25/01/11

WA’s not a state yet, Champ ?

James III says:

10:42pm | 21/01/11

100%

Qld sold all of us out down south when we were in diabolical trouble.

The East just doesnt give a toss.

NO LEVY.  Eat your Karma Boganland.

Gregg says:

10:32am | 22/01/11

@Saskia
Not all Queenslanders are growing cotton Saskia and Cubby station that has monstrous water management facilities has licences for pumping only when there is over a set ammount flowing in the rivers and they do recycle.
A lot of water gets used by a lot of irrigators having rights along the Darling, Murrumbidgee, Murray and other rivers and they are mostly producing food that even some over east may prefer to Crows.

The number of people affected out in the plains area where the cotton is grown is also very small and it does get hot and sticky up here so a few do not mind the odd grog or two or three whether in blueys, stubbies and hobnails or not but on the latter they reckon the thongs are also beaut and some are even trying to reform a bit and can be seen in Crocs but dare I say not on the verandah of the pub.

And I know1, you wish it was hanging out of the mouth of a real Croc they were seen in!

We’ll try and keep sending yáll bananas and do buy them even when they do get to $15/kilo for have to be better than a levy.

Anna sends her love and if you ever get crutch itch, even on a holiday up here, look for some Aloe Vera growing near by, snap off a leaf and scrap the flesh out for it is quite sooving.

Laura says:

06:07pm | 21/01/11

So true. I did notice her with a blue denim shit and scruffy hair the other day. Her attempt to dress down. She still couldn’t get the look right.

MarK says:

09:34am | 22/01/11

The fact that she so quickly succumbs to attempting to “fit the role” as soon as she gets the focus group opinion just shows how fake she really is.

She has no natural empathy and no clue how ordinary people think or feel. She is reactionary. Look at the RSL debates in the election. School marm sitting up above everyone vs Abbott who naturally, as he always has done, gets down amongst the people. It is the lawyer of the hard left above the plebs vs the volunteer bush fireman and surf lifesaver. One can connect. The other needs a focus group.

She is a sham.

Gregg says:

05:31pm | 22/01/11

@ Laura
Where in deed were you to see ” I did notice her with a blue denim shit and scruffy hair ” and ain’t your pubes a bit scruffy too?

I did have to laugh though when she had on the camoflage clobber out with the boys on the sand bag line and hair all tousled like a country gal!

Gregg says:

05:45pm | 22/01/11

I’ll be in that, want to meet up?

Against the Man says:

06:40pm | 21/01/11

Lots of Australian are paying the price for voting Labor. A deal with the devil is full of surprises. I hope Australians will finally wake up to the fact that Gillard cares for no one other than herself. Selfish to the core - Gillard the fine example of stupid, lazy, selfish leadership.

Ben81 says:

07:53pm | 21/01/11

Yes, allowing time helping out with the cleanup to count towards whatever hours they’re supposed to work may not be a bad idea.

Jade says:

07:18am | 22/01/11

So how exactly was a super storm cell dumping record amounts of rain in 12 hours the fault of the dam operators? Are they the people you see in cartoons and sci fi movies that can control the weather? Amazing

Idiot.

JT says:

10:11am | 22/01/11

You are the idiot in this case Jade. The Dam has a buffer to protect against this very thing. This buffer was allowed by the Dam operators (govt controlled) to be filled in the mistaken belief that we would have less water/flooding etc because of AGW and other green nonsense. When the floods came, this buffer built to protect against flooding could not work as it was already in use, thus releases from the dam to save the dam occurred and thus flooding occurred in Brisbane et al.

Jade says:

09:35pm | 22/01/11

JT I am aware the dam was built as a system of controlling flooding.  But how can anyone be responsible for what has happened. There was nothing that could of been done to stop Toowoomba and the lockyer Valley flooding and naturally all that water has to go somewhere.  These two area’s aren’t even in any of those catchment areas for the dams.

Jude of Brisbane says:

11:10am | 27/01/11

This comment makes me want to throw up in my own mouth.

PaulB says:

10:04am | 22/01/11

We paid taxes and we had a surplus.  Labor comes to power, surplus gone in a heartbeat.  And don’t give me that weak party-line about how Rudd saved us from the “GFC” by driving us into debt like everybody else.  As a nation we had money, then Labor in their classical style pissed it all away.  Now we need it for real Nation (re)building and its all gone, wasted, not coming back.

Ryan says:

08:45am | 22/01/11

@Dobo: incorrect, he was there on the ground with the rest, just because our left leaning media did not have cameras following his every move does not mean he wasn’t there, but well done, our leftist media has acheived its objective in using the floods for their left agenda, your opinion says it all.
Oh and by the way, Tony Abbott is not the person who is in control of the MASSIVE cash eating cow in the room, the NBN. The only responsible and competent any competent government that puts the needs of the people BEFORE their re-election stunts would be to mothball the NBN and direct that money into the rebuilding of Queensland and Victoria.. then again we know what Gillard is like, she puts herself first, her beloved Labor party second, her socialist alliance third, Tim fourth then lastly the people of Australia.

Against the Man says:

09:41am | 22/01/11

Well said Ryan. The hard working families who voted ALP are getting their just desserts. They have had a rude awakening to the real Gillard. Selfish, self centered person that she is. Australians will continue to pay a high price for the Rudd/Gillard years and history will be the best revenge we have on these incompetent twits.

Rosie says:

10:48am | 22/01/11

Dobbo

For goodness sake Abbott is not our PM and is only the leader of the Opposition Party. Do not use him to support an incompetent, undecisive, unscrupulous, dithery PM who some of us are still unsure whether she is the real Gillard or the fake Gillard. Julia Gillard, Australia’s PM who we must not forget grabbed the title under controversial means is now doing everything she can for her egotistical, elitist and selfish dream to survive and remain in power for as long as she can. The decisions she makes will always be based on that instead of the reality of the hardships that this country and its citizens will be facing because of the devastation caused by floods everywhere in Australia. Therefore, Abbott lying low like a sniper waiting to take a pot shot against someone like Gillard for a chance to present himself with what some of us consider the only solution to this problem wasn’t such a bad idea after all. His timing may have been wrong, but as you say he was taking a pot shot against his foe, Gillard I presume and not the flood victims.

I repeat from the Australian; “PM must fix the floods but not forget the big picture.” Lucky for Rudd, the country was left with a surplus in the coffers by the Howard Liberal/National Govt when he supposedly fixed the Global Financial Crisis. Today the Gillard Govt has no choice but to find the $20b repair bill for the damage caused by the floods and with no surplus money in our coffers will have to impose a “flood tax” on the citizens of this country. For now the flood victims demand an urgent response and for Govt intervention. This is the real national building stuff, unlike the problematic Gillard famous BER and the historical $45b NBN.

Tony Abbott should be thanking his lucky stars that he is not the PM, for even if she fixes the floods with a “flood tax” it doesn’t solve all the problems she had beforehand. With no money and not willing to cut back on Govt spending, we are doomed just like her Primeministership.

Too bad and too late to think of the billions thrown at the GFC that would have been soooooooooooooooo useful now.

Dobbo and the likes of you, it is not the time to be attacking Tony Abbott and his team, you should taking this chance to show that the Labor Govt has learnt from its mistakes and show us that good decisions makes good governance.

Good Luck Australia needs it!

Those in Opposition have a job to do for the citizens of this country and that is to make those that they oppose accountable. It is not all bipartisan and so it shouldn’t be.

Aasq says:

12:04pm | 22/01/11

It’s not just Tony Abbott, Rosie. We should all be thanking our lucky stars that he isn’t the PM.

HeatherG says:

03:02pm | 22/01/11

Dobbo….

Actually, no. He was everywhere. If you go to the Qld University website, for example, and check out their flood roundups (as I did because that’s where I study) you will see one place where he was. The difference is: he didn’t take the media with him, unlike Julia who took it everywhere she went and spent her time kissing small children instead of discussing with community leaders what needed to be done, as Abbot was doing with the Admin of the University once the flooding receded and cleanup began (and the so-called “Champion of Education”, Julia, didn’t even bother to look at this famously left-wing campus—why would she? She keeps cutting funding to the Universities).

This was “proper”—the government’s job is to deal with a crisis on the spot and the opposition’s job to stay out of the way of emergency teams but to be kept informed of developments (and it would be the same if the Liberals were in government and Labor was in opposition).

I cannot fault Anna Bligh’s behaviour and attitudes during the crisis, much as I dislike her government (and I pay gouge-level “private rent” to the very broke Dept of Main Roads, so I have good reason, although I will also concede that inheriting Beattie’s crapola put her in a shocking position). She, and the Lord Mayor, I believe, put crisis before politics and got on with the jobs required (Ipswich CC could learn from how the BCC used their advance warning), and did so as well as could be expected under the circumstances. I don’t think she slept. I have nothing but admiration for her personal compassion and her action and her use of the professional services she had at her disposal—they all did a good job (if she had some of those people in her government, they’d be more efficient than the current lug of Ministers). Julia, however, couldn’t even *thank* people without reading from a cue board (have a look at the difference between the two women on the Qld Police’s You-tube site).

Tony Abbott is doing his JOB—which is to hold the government accountable for spending and to suggest alternatives when the govt oversteps their role. You do know the legal definitions of the difference between a “tax” and a “levy”, right?

Thing is, I strongly suspect that if Tony Abbot had been highly visual during the crisis you would have accused him of trying to score political points, not as a sniper this time, but as a Rambo running in and taking his shots without regard for who he was shooting at. I doubt the man could’ve pleased anyone, frankly. We’re all too busy being bigoted over his religiosity.

Rosie says:

05:49pm | 22/01/11

Aasq

The difference between Tony Abbott and Gillard as PM of this country is Tony Abbott would have achieved it without controversy and would be governing for the people instead of trying to survive to remain in power.

Gillard has one thing on her mind and that is her means of survial and to do what it takes to remain in power.”

Anybody would be better than Gillard, even the former PM, Rudd and NO some of us are not thanking our lucky stars that Tony Abbott was not PM during the latest crisis because he would be cutting back on Govt spending and NO NBN to use that money for the rebuilding of the lives of flood victims and their communities. He therefore would not be imposing a “flood tax” on the citizens of this country.

Aasq says:

08:38pm | 22/01/11

So Tony Abbott should be thanking his lucky stars he isn’t PM, but “some of us” shouldn’t ? You’re making as much sense as ever, Rosie.

Sean says:

07:50am | 27/01/11

Let’s set aside the issue of insurance on privately held homes for a minute (availability and cost are real issues that many commenters seem to overlook) .  How about roads, mining infrastructure, telephone lines, public transport, parks, etc that all have suffered severe damage?  Tough luck for all of us?

Davido says:

08:57am | 27/01/11

Good point. It is simply user pays.

If you choose to live in a flood zone then you should bear the burden of the extra costs associated with it.

Joombi O'Flaherty says:

12:21pm | 22/01/11

So, what the heck is a Distaster? Is that someone who goes around testing only the bad food? In any case, why would we require our Prime Minister to be involved in any kind of food-testing? Also, please let us know what a “platonic” tone of voice is. Just asking, like..

Thommo says:

01:15pm | 22/01/11

Oh where to start? Should I even bother… you wouldn’t listen.. yu sound just like all the alarmist chicken littles who haven’t done a ounce of their own research becaue they have succumbed to the logical fallacy of ‘appeal to authority’. Total world Ice has hardly changed over the last century. For every receding glacier there’s 2 taht are growing. For every bit of ice that is melting in greenland and the Arctic Ocean there is an equal amount forming on the Antarctic mainland. The global temperature anomoly for December was .05 degrees - where is all the heat gone that CO2 was meant to be storing for us? CO2 has reached it’s saturation and still gives of half of all it’s retained heat spacewards. It speeds up the daily water cycle slightly but has no effect on long term climates. THe primary forcings are cloud cover, Total Solar Irradiance and Galactic Cosmic Radiation. Don’t take my word for it…do some unbiased research.

Greg says:

11:42am | 22/01/11

Not to mention US$142 million per annum in UN membership dues, which most countries just don’t pay.

Redirect that money to a useful purpose, instead of funding a bunch of left wing bureaucrats and parasites.

We would also save hundreds of millions more every year by avoiding all the costs associated with UN policy obligations that have been forced upon us.

mary says:

01:31pm | 22/01/11

Thanks Jim, those figures certainly put the flood tax proposal in perspective.

Governments get away with so much because the majority of people haven’t a clue what government’s are up to in our names and on our behalves. We are too busy leading our own lives ‘trusting’ those we put in charge to do the right thing.

Well Julia, no, you’re not doing the right thing. Doing the right thing would be sitting down and re-arranging some of these figures in a way that makes sense instead of burdening the people of Australia with yet another tax.

What??? says:

11:17am | 27/01/11

Jim, you have way to much time on your hands.  Are you paid by the Libs to waste time and energy on these blogs???  Looks like you have some very strong political points of view that you are only too ready to put on this forum.  Not appropriate, forget the BS and think of the human lives and livelihoods devasted by these floods.  Shove your stats Jim, and try being non-political and compassionate for a change.

WayneT says:

03:15pm | 22/01/11

They will collect it by increasing the Medicare Levy, as has been done in the past.  So basically if you earn more you will pay more than your fair share in flood tax.  Brilliant isn’t it? For most of us a third of our salary already goes straight to the Government.  If they can’t manage that, then how will they manage this new tax.  And what of any excess revenue that is raised at the end of the day.  They can’t even produce a business plan for the NBN so how the hell will they show the expenditures for this new tax?  It’s time the state and federal government raided their election war chests and put it towards rebuilding the roads and bridges instead of asking us to pick up the pieces of their train wreck of financial management.  The sooner they can get Queenslanders back to being able to pay taxes again the sooner they can make surplus in 2013.

The Badger says:

12:40pm | 22/01/11

Thommo

Abbott would be proud of you. You have picked up the mantra from the party of NO.

Jim says:

12:43pm | 22/01/11

Methinks you didn’t even read any posts JulesG…much like your namesake you’ve skimmed over what’s in front of you and denied logic. I see a tonne of posts outlining some very good reasons why we shouldn’t be lumped with a tax that every sane person knows will stay with us and be mismanaged by this incompetent regime.

JulesG says:

03:13pm | 22/01/11

Jim: First up I don’t accept the premise that the present federal government is an incompetent regime. It is trying hard to redress the gross inequities of the Howard years and to come to terms with the fact that management of our country goes way beyond the mere financial.

I have read the posts and the vast majority leave me gasping at their unaustralian selfishness. The only logic that applies here is that these people are our countrymen and need our help and that help should be forth coming, without let or hindrance. We should not be arguing about politics and taxes and who’s to blame. We should all be galvanised in one goal, which is to come up with positive solutions to mitigate this disaster, instead of this sickening, selfish and unenlightened stream of right wing, conservative drivel!

As for sanity, every, ‘truly’ sane person knows that the quicker we can get these communities up and running again the greater the benefit to us all.

Jim says:

05:45pm | 22/01/11

What ‘gross inequalities’ are you talking about? Please name one. Under Howard the standards lifted for everyone in this country…even the great unwashed.

And if you’re going to bleat things like ‘We should not be arguing about politics’, then don’t throw a political accusation out in your first paragraph…that would be hypocritical JulesG.

JulesG says:

02:38pm | 22/01/11

Thommo: Spoken like a true conservative. I’m alright jack etc, etc! Flooding is considered an act of God and as such is not always covered by insurance. A lot of insured people have found themselves without cover for this very reason. People have been caught out through no fault of there own. According to you conservatives we are to punish them for their lack of foresight and let them sink.

As for altruism, it is a mark of our civilisation and an act of great strength not weakness. To help ones fellow man is an act of unconditional, cooperative heroism and should be applauded from the roof tops.

Yes, I know, it’s that word, ‘cooperative’ that upsets you conservatives so much, doesn’t it? Without cooperation and consideration our species is doomed and it is for this reason alone that the demise of conservatism is assured and our country can blossom into a caring and sharing community, the envy of the world.

Gregg says:

08:37pm | 22/01/11

I do not think the people posting Richard are necessarily against rebuilding infrastructure for the very reasons you say, both financial and on a personal level as you refer to.

The posting with vehemence re No to a new tax or level is more a gut reaction to how a lot of Australians, perhaps even some who voted for Labor in the election have had a gutful of the wastage and incompetence that has been perpetrated on this nation in just three short years and for now seems destined to be continued with something like the NBN the flagship, not even put into the budget, hanging out there as though taxpayers are not going to be paying for it whereas they are dearly and not even a say in it nor it being thoroughly analysed because it cannot be, current analysis on rubbery expectation of take up rates etc.

If we had some responsibility shown from this government with setting some priorities which may in fact mean reviewing some of the policies to re-allocate funding, there would hardly be a whisper but a huge hurrah developing.

Labor is always the party of we must do something and change things no matter the cost and well now they have the opportunity to do it in a manner responsible to all Australians.
More planning needs to go into what needs to be repaired and where are the labour resources to do it than what needs to go into reviewing finances or lets say getting investigations and designs developed takes a lot longer than what any politician has probably even thought about so there is plenty of time for setting up financing without another tax.

Jude of Brisbane says:

11:08am | 27/01/11

Richard, what a fabulous post.  Unfortunately we have Gregg from the Liberal party already going on about his political views.  Shame they can’t be put aside.  Gregg you should maybe come up to Qld and see the damage, no time for the political point scoring - way too much work to do to fix our damaged state.  All very well to sit back on our collective backsides and criticise, but the people of Qld (and Victoria) can do without the pollie bashing and political point scoring.  You might want to think fo something constructive other than ‘planning’.  Livelihoods have been lost; thousands of people are homeless, farming in Qld is in crisis, the tourism industry is in crisis, tens of thousands of kilometres of roads have been damaged and you want to plan.  Spare me the BS.  We need some action up here, not platitudes and political point scoring.  Get off your anti-Labour high horse and come up with something non-political and constructive.

Richard says:

07:20pm | 22/01/11

That is a sweet name for a blog, but the content of it is totally misconstrued. Of course Labor’s priority is profit, not people, because that’s the way any competent government would would feel. The only way to deal with large issues on the vast scale of National Affairs is with impersonal abstractness, calculated to profit the people who make its existence possible i.e. its citizens, us.

Judicus says:

11:14am | 27/01/11

GT you have shown your ignorance completely.  No big homes, boats or cars in most of the suburbs flooded in Brisbane.  Have you ever been to Goodna or Ipswich?  Bet you haven’t.  What a crock of BS this whole post is.  I live in Brisbane and reading this is just a joke.  Probably best to waste your time doing something you know a bit about.

gdaniell says:

05:07pm | 27/01/11

You are truly blind, Blind Willy, these people were sold thier properties by Real Estate Agents who would have / should have made it thier business to KNOW which areas were a flood risk, and to advise the purchasers accordingly.  You can bet your nuts (or your Willy) that they did not honour these obligations.  They would’ve been touting the river views and fishing opportunities for all they were worth to get the maximum bucks out of the unsuspecting buyers, whose first inking of the risk would’ve come from talking to the older locals, weeks or months are settlement.

Alternatively if the purchasers did know of the risk, they would have been mollified by the Estate Agents with promises that the risk was no more thanks to the “new dam” or similar platitudes.

Developers and Estate Agents are the culprits here, along with the local goverment officials who turned a blind eye when sensible planning guidelines were thrown out the window to satiate the demands for “more land, more land!” to turn another buck (or million bucks) off.

Open your eyes Blind Willy!

Judy says:

11:20am | 27/01/11

Are you really Tony Abbott with an alias??

Judy says:

11:18am | 27/01/11

Blah, blah, blah.  Anything constructive to say, or just political point scoring??

John says:

02:37pm | 27/01/11

Actually they are, you don’t really have a choice, sad but true :\
I’m also going on a limb you were happy however to receive your $900 hand out to spend to boost our economy from recession..

gdaniell says:

04:18pm | 27/01/11

For God’s sake stop wingeing all you cheapskates and let the Govt get on with it.  It is clear that one way or another the taxpapyer will be paying the bill, the only contention is which part of our taxes (last year’s or this year’s tax) will it come out of.  If the sky fell on YOUR house, I bet you would be bleating for help like sheep.  You’re a bunch of wooses, I suggest you go home to Mum and ask her to blow your nose, then get over it!