When the issue of victims compensation, it is always in terms of bushfires. Lawyers have to get involved and tens of millions of dollars is paid.

However with victims of climate change, like with the NSW extreme flooding - no such compensation comes into play. Victims are left with virtually nothing - despite the fact government policy is linked to the impacts of climate change.

"Australia and its region will probably be hit by almost twice as many severe floods this century like the ones that devastated southeast Queensland four years ago, according to new research."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/climate-change-to-cause-twice-as-many-severe-floods-in-australia/story-e6frg6xf-1227197990872

Why the government is allowed to get away with this is appalling -considering the death of three people so far, huge calls for emergency assistance and loss of homes - in these ‘cyclonic’ storms.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/04/21/05/54/nsw-coast-lashed-by-wild-storms

Will the government pay out compensation to the victims? Or will they continue to 'deny' the issue of climate change?

How many years of litigation would it take to establish that the Government is liable and then how long to establish the percentage of that liability?

I don't recall Governments ever admitting liability for bushfires, some Government Dept may sometimes be liable but not often.

As for trees falling on houses, cars etc. if the householder hasn't applied to the local council for permission to remove the tree or complained about the perceived danger of a council owned tree, then said householder doesn't have much chance of compensation.
If the council acknowledged the request or complaint and refused then there would be cause to enter into possibly very expensive litigation.

There are a million, or so, trees close enough to our roads so that their falling could result in serious injury or death but will climate change affect them?

Come on Nathan, you can't be serious.

1) Householders have, or should have, insurance. If they don't why should the government be blamed and accountable for a 'once in a life time weather event' ?
2) Even the most avid man-made climate change advocates admit you can't blame any single severe storm directly on climate change.
3) climate change may possibly be a natural / cyclical event, the jury is still out even though a new religion has been borne for the climate
change faithful.
4) How can you hold the Australian government responsible for climate change when it's a world wide phenomena? Even if CO2 is responsible, Australia is only contributing 2% of the man-made CO2. One volcano going off for one day creates more than Australia can in a year.
5) some people are so used to living off government hand outs they have started to believe the government should pay for everything, but these people don't even pay tax. I hope you are not in this category.

Sorry Nathan, I think you are way off base with this proposal.

NathanJ a quote from Tony Abbott

"Climate change argument is absolute crap."

Even the most ardent climate change skeptic must be getting jittery with the unusual weather phenomenon overtaking the planet our the past few years. As a leader Abbott is not intelligent enough to realise climate change is real, and is happening here and now. Or is he simply pandering to vested interests, and the almighty dollar. Like Nero, Abbott fiddles while the planet burns.
As for short term compensation from this mob in Canberra or Mac Street Sydney, or where ever, fat chance!

What disgusting crap NathanJ. In the 50s & 60s the hunter used to flood a couple of times a decade. It happened so often I used to wonder how people could go back to those places. Of course those effected looking for a handout, with their problem would prefer to forget that. Many of the younger people probably have no idea of the history of that severe flooding.

The rabid conmen of the global warming brigade will try to use their misfortune to make claims like you are doing here, but those with a bit of knowledge of even just the last 50 years are here to show you up as lousy opportunists, trying to make use of others misfortune.

Actually disgusting is far too kind a description for this behaviour. We know there has been no warming for 18 years. We know there have been less cyclones & major weather events in the last 2 decades, so I guess these claims are the desperation of the global warming profiteers & their fool supporters who will continue to make these claims, even as the ice builds.

Not true.
Even if governments dont/wont help after severe flooding/disasters etc, it is my experience that the Australian people are happy to open their hearts, wallets, homes etc and help out the victims.
We have seen it time and time again. It is the Australian way. We know what this country can be like and we are prepared to help out in any way we can.
No doubt there are already appeals and assistance happening following this weeks horror weather in NSW.

No matter what the future brings with climate change/sea level rise etc I expect(hope) this lefty, socialist characteristic of the Australian people continues and it never becomes the selfish, uncaring attitude expounded by the rightards among us.