No worries Belly.

Hi STG,
Many Australians have donated and assisted from interstate STG after genuinely feeling and placing themselves in yours and other Australian flood victims shoes. Over the past fortnight I have read many comments and accounts on other websites and news pages from Australians who have friends and relatives in both QLD and VIC. There would be many OLO contributors who, despite their comments regarding insurance and levies, have given financially, as a result of their kindness, good will and hearts, in addition to the hardest task of all; doing the physical hard difficult work clearing and cleaning peoples homes.

The floods arrived at a time when thousands of Aussie families in certain states have, over the past couple of years, been struggling dreadfully with mortgages, rent, utilities, food and fuel.

However, as Belly stated, and I have always known, $5.00 or $10.00 is zilch to whinge about, sacrificing a capuccino/coffee and nothing at all to most people I have chatted with over the past couple of days.

The points as I see it, raised here though, are more of a debate politically in terms of should we have a flood levy as opposed to the Labor Government raising or finding the revenue themselves ie through funding cuts to more projects, research, the NBN, and other areas, or a flood levy or kitty existing permanently to cover all future disasters.

Some of the comments at this time for people suffering would appear heartless, however, issues and perspectives need to be raised and addressed to improve our Nation.

One of Graham's and his Dad's objectives and philosophies?

I wish you and your family the best recovery and know that after this devastation there will be a stronger you and a brighter future. I would explain if knowing you personally.

The power of positive thinking has come through for me in each major crises over 25 years.

STG and Belly,

I see that the point of the discussion has gone completely over your heads.

The issue is not whether the funds should be made available, but whether the Labor government funds them by adding a new tax, or by trimming some of the considerable fat in the budget. Much of the funding has already come from dropping policies that were so moronic that they were never going to happen anyway.

I did not wish to raise this precisely because it clouds the issue, but I have already contributed more via pledges than I would via the levy.

The only body apparently not prepared to do some belt tightening is the government.

Shadow Minister we are fire and water you and I.
Yet curiosity would let me meet you, maybe have a drink with you.
My minds eye thinks it knows you now, I see a fixed position on everything bloke, who never did it hard.
And wounder at your self assurance.
I can never have that self confidence, it in my view is my best asset,I am never sure I have all the information or got it right.
I call it a willingness to learn.
I understand your view, it repels me but I understand it.
Ultimately it is a test for us all, ANY COSTS the governments take will cost us.
It is our funds in the kitty, so levee or not it is our bill to pay and pay it we will.
Your mob, gee I am pleased they are not mine, want only mileage out of this.
To both get back in the black on time, and cuts, plus a levee is the best way.
Now maybe SM I am wrong , I can be, but mate I think your side is so lost,so out of touch, it would do just about anything to CONFRONT including this awful attempt to turn a tragic event in to a positive,for them.
Once again SM will you get a thread started, the one I want you and two others to contribute to, find some faults on your side prove to me you are not forever wearing blinkers.

I say no!

We don't need an NBN, or at the very least we can defer it for a year or two.

Like most things, the answer lies with 'less waste'.

We had a nice nest egg, it's just that incompitent leaders wasted it, and some.

So, what's next if we put our hands in 'our pockets' this time.

Furthermore, my house is insured, also my business, my cars, even my life.

Can we help it if governments choose not to insure our 'public' assetts!

Over my head?

I support a levy. Thought that was fairly obvious. Sorry, should have explained a bit deeper for the slower ones among us.