Ok, so most of us realised that this would probably be coming, but having given freely to the appeal, should we now be forced to give more? the good will is likely to be beaten out of people should this happen, and future disasters will run short of donations as 'they'll tax me anyway' or 'they've not stopped taxing me for the floods yet so sod em'

The fact that I heard on the news that the federal government was 'donating' 10M I found puzzling and more than a little insulting, especially from a government that's made such a big thing about avoiding the GFC. Seeing the way people were pitching in in QL and Vic was inspiring, and demonstrates the 'mateship' that Australia is rightly proud of.

However, it does raise the question, do mates help mates because they are decent people? or do mates help mates because it's a bloody site cheaper than accepting help from the government? I can see why blokes at work are pissed off about all the foreign aid handed out, when the government behaves this way towards its own people.

Rant over, have a good weekend

The Federal government will end up forking out a lot more than $10m, that's probably just to get the relief programs going. The rebuild will be closer to $10bn which the government will pay most of (ie us!)

I agree with Abbott:
Cut the NBN and the fat out of other budgets to fund Qld rebuilding.

Not going to happen. We have a Labor govt that likes to spend our money and they need us to pay for it.

Increased taxes is just a matter of time.

I know. This is what you get when you have parasites (aka socialists) in government.

How predictable

Rather parasites than crooks

As was your response.

How about parasites AND crooks (aka socialists).

Ironic, isn't it, that despite my socialist tendencies I already have most of what you aspire to

seems socialism works

You forgot to mention loonies as Bob Brown has the PMs ear.

Good point. Forgot about Red Bob.

Back to the OP, the flood relief will be paid for out of tax revenue, either but cutting expenditure or raising taxes (or both), the public will pay in either case.

Also, I have a distrust of politicians of any stripe.

Maybe they took their lead from the Howard government.

They introduced a few levies during their time in power. One of them was to bail out a failed airline.

Socialist pricks! Oh.

Yep, remember when Ansett went down. That was about the time I pissed off back to the UK.

You'd have thought in a country this harsh that a vast emergency fund would have been built up, perhaps it's time for a supertax on mines and banks specifically for it. Commonwealth asking me to donate after announcing obscene profits, get f@@@@d, I donated in Woolies, at least they're honest and don't make huge profits, oh hang on.

Would have thought Oprah would've sent some dosh by now too, if she has, and just hasn't disclosed then she's alright by me, have a bit of cake love