Flood Levy - Do you agree?

[Calliope]

A Newspoll showed that 55% supported the flood levy. This is not surprising as about 50% don't have to pay the levy.

 

[sails]

A Newspoll showed that 55% supported the flood levy. This is not surprising as about 50% don't have to pay the levy.

Looks like 1202 people were phoned for the poll. Not a big sample size. You wonder how much polls like this are manipulated because it certainly doesn't stack up to the number opposing it on newpaper polls. Or do they keep polling until they get the result someone wants? The suggestion from "Yes Minister" to ensure you get the result you want when polling comes to mind...lol

http://www.newspoll.com.au/image_uploads/110202 Flood Levy.pdf

Sunrise also had a poll with over 4,400 responses. That's almost 4 times the one from newspoll and the result was 7% for and 93% against. It was on one of their videos, so don't have the link now.

 

[Julia]

Looks like 1202 people were phoned for the poll. Not a big sample size. You wonder how much polls like this are manipulated because it certainly doesn't stack up to the number opposing it on newpaper polls. Or do they keep polling until they get the result someone wants? The suggestion from "Yes Minister" to ensure you get the result you want when polling comes to mind...lol

Yes, and I'd like to see the actual questions asked. i.e. say they asked:

"are you prepared to pay a dollar a week to see your fellow Australians assisted to recover from the devastating floods no one could ever have predicted?"

I bet most people would unhesitatingly say yes, of course.

But if they were asked:

"Are you happy to have a new tax applied on top of the present Medicare levy because the government's capacity to make adequate provision in the national budget has failed?"

I bet most people would say no.

The reporting of the 'results' of these polls is imo pretty meaningless unless we know the actual wording of the questions asked and further, how respondents were selected.

 

[sails]

Yes, and I'd like to see the actual questions asked. i.e. say they asked:

"are you prepared to pay a dollar a week to see your fellow Australians assisted to recover from the devastating floods no one could ever have predicted?"

I bet most people would unhesitatingly say yes, of course.

But if they were asked:

"Are you happy to have a new tax applied on top of the present Medicare levy because the government's capacity to make adequate provision in the national budget has failed?"

I bet most people would say no.

The reporting of the 'results' of these polls is imo pretty meaningless unless we know the actual wording of the questions asked and further, how respondents were selected.

Agree - here's the "Yes Minister" clip again which puts these sorts of polls into perspective, IMO...lol

 

[IFocus]

Yep, I understand that IFocus.

When we had the fires here in Vic, we had quite a few trying to rort the system, unfortunately.

I just dont understand why people dont insure themselves, bottom line.

In terms of the floods some as Calliope describes, some because the premiums are judged as to high and some because insurance company's simply wont insure in some well known flood plains.

Insurance company's have a lot of research on probability (had some dealing with FM Global in industry) and they work the numbers accordingly generally premiums can be a good guide to your risk.

 

[Slipperz]

The oppositions numbers are in.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/we ather/abbott-announces-cuts-instead-of-flood-levy-20110208-1al0w.html

Seems to make sense. Surely we have enough water in our river systems for this year?

Check 600 million.

Automotive industry subsidies 500 million. No idea what that's all about.

Will the industry survive without it? The opposition seems to think so.

Deferring aid to build schools in Indonesia. Well durrr we need the money to build schools here. Surely the Indonesians can see no bad faith in this action.

Check 400 million.

Bloody hell it's not that hard to find government waste is it?

Definitely on side with the opposition on this issue.

And as a side issue I just totally cleaned out my wardrobe and bottom draws and gave the red cross a tonne of clothes for the people who have lost everything. Just a bit of practical help courtesy of my expanding waistline.

 

[IFocus]

Slipperz;610204]The oppositions numbers are in.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/we ather/abbott-announces-cuts-instead-of-flood-levy-20110208-1al0w.html

Seems to make sense. Surely we have enough water in our river systems for this year?

Check 600 million.

Best time buy back water rights is when in flood they are much cheaper the Murray Darling over allocation of water rights wont go away

Automotive industry subsidies 500 million. No idea what that's all about.

Will the industry survive without it? The opposition seems to think so.

This bit I don't know about either anyone else?

Deferring aid to build schools in Indonesia. Well durrr we need the money to build schools here. Surely the Indonesians can see no bad faith in this action.

Check 400 million.

People who are xenophobic will love this, specialty with the phase "Charity begins at home"
The Jihadist radicals in Indonesia will also love it hell whats a few more blow apart dead Australians worth.

Bloody hell it's not that hard to find government waste is it?

Definitely on side with the opposition on this issue.

As most here would guess I am not. Abbott keeps bunging on about how much waste in government there is when he hasn't found to many cuts since most of it is deferrals.

The whole thing is total spin plus the decisions aren't his to make you have to be in government to do that.

And as a side issue I just totally cleaned out my wardrobe and bottom draws and gave the red cross a tonne of clothes for the people who have lost everything. Just a bit of practical help courtesy of my expanding waistline.

Nice work:

 

[Smurf1976]

Automotive industry subsidies 500 million. No idea what that's all about.

Will the industry survive without it? The opposition seems to think so.

Australia has what is termed a "level playing field" for the automotive industry whereas practically every other country does not. The practical effect of this is that Australian manufacturers are at a disadvantage competing against overseas rivals, hence the need for subsidies if they are to remain in operation.

Why Australia has been silly enough to introduce this "level playing field" nonsense in the first place is a damn good question. It's not as though there is actual competition on a "level playing field", it's just a term for allowing others access to the Australian market without tariffs whilst most do not return the same favours.

 

[Smurf1976]

A lot of those who did have insurance are complaining loudly that "they" didn't cover me for "flood", "tidal surge'" etc. What they mean is "I didn't cover myself".

They don't seem to understand that you get what you pay for. If you pay for an inferior product, that is what you get.

To be fair, a lot of it comes down to the difficulty in understanding insurance policies. A consumer shouldn't need the services of a lawyer to explain what they are buying.

Either the policy covers flood or it doesn't. That's a single word answer - yes or no. But read the average policy and there's pages and pages of details that the average person is not likely to understand.

Fire. Theft. Accidental breakage. Flood etc. Simple "yes" or "no" to each is what is required. If I take out insurance to cover "flood" then that should indeed cover me in the event of a flood be it due to a cyclone, blocked drain or whatever. That there are so many loopholes is where people get caught.

 

[IFocus]

Bob Katter is one of my favorite politicians reminds me so much of my father who would have voted for him

Bob is just a practical bloke who works for his electorate

Katter 'rolls over' to back flood levy

Independent Bob Katter, whose north Queensland electorate bore the brunt of Cyclone Yasi, says he will back the $1.8 billion taxpayer levy following a meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan on Wednesday.

"I've had to roll over and accept the levy as it is," Mr Katter told ABC Radio on Thursday, ahead of the government introducing legislation to parliament.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/8809215/katter-rolls-over-to-back-flood-levy/

Reported the WA Nat is also backing the levy

 

[drsmith]

What's Tony Windsor up to ?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/13/3137482.htm?section=justin

I hope he and the remaining independents oppose it. That might just encourage this government to have at least a little respect for money.

 

[trainspotter]

My sentiments exactly.

 

[sails]

What's Tony Windsor up to ?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/13/3137482.htm?section=justin

I hope he and the remaining independents oppose it. That might just encourage this government to have at least a little respect for money.

Here's a quote from that article:

"It seems to me this preoccupation with being back in surplus by 2012-13... I don't think that's necessarily the correct course," he said.

"I think when a disaster likes this comes along, there's very good reason to slip into deficit."

However, it looks like Katter will support it due to his electorate being hit hard by Yasi.

But how confident is he that a levy will actually reach those for whom it is intended? With $1000 lots being thrown around like confetti regardless of the amount actually incurred in damage, it makes one wonder.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Just an update on how the Levy Tax is being collected and spent.

1. Townsville taxis Thursday and Friday frantic delivering people to Toys r Us, Harvey Norman and Jb on the one hand, and the Bottle shops on the other.

2. Some folk now remember having lived with family in the Ipswich/Toowoomba area during the flood, and when the flood passed , all moved up to Townsville, so they are claiming the bloody tax twice.

3. This in fact happened to the Gumnuts, we had PTSD, and forgot we were in Ipswich, so will now revise up the claim to $40,800, for the Townsville Gumnuts and and estimated $38,200 for the Ajay Acacia family from Ipswich, our esteemed cousins, who put us up during the floods, and who stayed with us in Townsville during Yasi.
that's $79 grand , not bad for a few phonecalls.

What an absolute joke.

And Centrelink pay them and the bottle shops do more business and the collective IQ approaches Julia Gillards'.

gg

 

[trainspotter]

Anyone remember Rudd's Army????????????????????

Following the response to the 2020 Summit’s recommendations, the Rudd government has agreed to establish a Deployable Civilian Capacity (DCC) for the rapid deployment of civilian experts to assist in international disaster relief, stabilisation and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW ??????? HUH ????????? anybody ????????????

An emergency response register of specialist personnel, such as medical teams, engineers, logisticians, sanitation experts and communications technicians, would enhance DCC responsiveness. Another register that monitors the quantity and location of commercial stocks for emergency humanitarian assistance would help.

Can anybody show me the result of this monumentous gathering of talent?? anybody ???

It is also worth considering, particularly in the aftermath of the Victorian bushfires, how best to draw on the DCC to respond to life-threatening disasters and delivery of humanitarian assistance to Australians at home when catastrophic natural disasters occur.

Or was the 2020 Summit just another LABOR quango of bovine excreta ???

WHERE ARE THE JOURNALISTS ASKING JOOLYAH GIZZARD as to where the minutemen (and women) are?? HUH???

 

[Julia]

gg, that's just quite sickening.

 

[Julia]

WHERE ARE THE JOURNALISTS ASKING JOOLYAH GIZZARD as to where the minutemen (and women) are?? HUH???

You know perfectly well that most of the press gallery are strongly of the left persuasion and are extremely unlikely to be holding the government to account.

Their lack of political diligence is even more remarkable when it comes to the Greens who are seemingly able to make any outrageous claims they like without being held to account.

With a few exceptions, notably journalists with "The Australian" they should hang their heads in collective shame.

 

[drsmith]

However, it looks like Katter will support it due to his electorate being hit hard by Yasi.

But how confident is he that a levy will actually reach those for whom it is intended? With $1000 lots being thrown around like confetti regardless of the amount actually incurred in damage, it makes one wonder.

Bob Katter's not going to reject large wads of money being directed towards his electorate. Politically, he would be a fool if he did. Tony Crook's support however is a bit more of a mystery.

Whether it's for business or personal, assistance should simply be more targeted. That though is obviously not a concern for this government.

I think GG is shouting the bar tonight.

 

[drsmith]

With a few exceptions, notably journalists with "The Australian" they should hang their heads in collective shame.

God bless The Australian.

 

[kiwichick]

yes doc hip hip for the lib rag

even though i am a temporary resident in austruckinfalia i will quite happily pay the levy

NZ donated $3 million for flood relief after just had quite a large earthquake in christchurch to deal with

NZ has a permanent earthquake levy on all buildings insurance (the fund currently has about $5 billion)

you should also have a count on the levies little johnie had ... 6 was it?