Turban Explorer

Whoever created the idea of dishing out big wads of cash (based on the number of people in a family) after a 'disaster' could have been a tad gullible. My neighbours have just been showing me holiday brochures of their upcoming sojourn in Fiji - paid for by the $3200 windfall payout for being in the vicinity of cyclone Yasi. I happen to know they didn't even have 10 minutes without electricity as they were with us up the mangrove on their yacht and when we returned to the marina it wasn't disconnected. Businesses are marketing to customers in the same way as they were during the stimulus package (another bizarrely ridiculous economic measure). Everyone I know has claimed the full amount ($1000 per adult and $400 per child). There is no shame attached and it isn't even taboo!!! Is this okay? Or is the government just in the dark entirely?

unfair dinkum

if those people had any conscience they'd either not collect the money or give it to charity. They don't deserve it. I agree with you that the Aussie gov't gets a bit carried away at times with free handouts (stimulus money, disaster money, free loft insultation) with seemingly not much consideration given to the long term effects on the economy, or how these things are policed. The home insulation saga in particular is a good example of turning a good idea into a farce. Mind you that's pollies for you. It reminds me of home information packs: a really good idea to include a mandatory survey until every stake holder puts the boot in and you end up with a meaningless 'energy assessment'

Turban Explorer

The handing out of funds like that is just nuts. I guess they assume it all gets pumped back into the economy unless it gets saved (tax on savings is so high anyway though) so what the hell! Yet, it affects the natural supply/demand equilibrium and so causes inflation and asset value bubbles. The economics minister really good do with a hand. The child-like logic is really odd....

Amazulu

Yes, this government is very free and easy with my money. There is too much of this bullshit going on - just look at the $900 pokies/booze/meth stimulass payments a few years ago. Add to this all the middle-class bribes (sorry, welfare) and it's no wonder we have a large deficit.

spartacus

Why should there be any shame attached? The government set the criteria, and if you happen to meet them I say fill yer boots.

renth

I agree, that's Keyensianism for you.

However if I were entitled to some of that cash I'd be grabbing it, you'd be crazy not to.

Turban Explorer

Because they've all lied on the forms. Due the idiocy of the government people who lost a tub of icecream as the freezer went off are receiving the same as people who lost everything down in Tully and Cardwell. There quite a few people up here, houses blown away, trying to sell their worldly possessions and then just driving west to start again. Shouldn't they be somewhat more deserving?

spartacus

All of them?

Turban Explorer

In Cairns I'd say yes - pretty much all of them. At work they were all joking about it. We suffered virtually no damage up here as the cyclone went south in the last few hours.. A day or two of electricity failure - tops

renth

Sounds well dodgy, total waste of public money.

Isn't this why we have home/contents insurance?

IndieG

I would have taken it. But I would have also donated the entire proceeds to charity even if we were inconvenienced, definitely.

PS: I agree it is a complete disaster, excuse the pun.

lancastrian48

Labour ..as in UK..tax,spend,waste.

freebo

So you give the option to the public to falsely claim a load of cash with little fear of getting caught - of course a large number of people will do just that, which is a fact of life unfortunately.

The fault lies with the govt agency who's supposed to be managing the process, I hope the press get wind of it and expose it.

HelenTD

I heard a guy on the radio talk about his recent experience helping to clean up after the SE QLD floods. He was from WA and took a week's leave to go over and be a volunteer. He said that he was travelling by train from where he was staying to flooded areas, and back again, after working, unpaid, for 12-14 hours. He told how there was a bunch of young males on the train, boasting to each other about the $1000 they'd received, even though their homes had not been damaged. They got the money because other houses on their street were damaged. Obviously Centrelink/whoever was responsible for handing out the cash didn't bother doing a proper check. This volunteer, who'd travelled across the whole continent to help out, at his own expense, was sickened and who could blame him?

Turban Explorer

Completely agree with you. For a country with the 'lock down' style rules and regulations of a high security prison chucking cash sums at people seemingly without any adjudication process is a favourite government hobby.