Another media lie

Yesterday the MSM outlets began to report that Brisbane rates would go up to pay the $400M plus bill to repair the damage from flooding in Brisbane. This was on many of the TV stations, repeated in the news.

This was a lie, Campbell Newman said that he wanted to find the money from what they had and by cutting projects already mooted.

Brisbane rates are rising in line with the CPI (shame my rates don't rise in line with the CPI, but above it!).

Today's reports I can google are saying that Brisbane rates won't rise due to the floods.

I'm sure other people would have heard that media lie.

If you don't like the news, or if there isn't any, just make some up!

Means testing for flood aid from the Queensland Premier's Appeal Fund

The Queensland Premier's Flood Appeal fund recipients will be means tested to determine whether they are worthy of receiving funds from this pool which has largely been donated by generous people and businesses Australia wide and, indeed, from around the world. Of course the Premier of Queensland says means testing is fair.

For example, a $5000 grant to help uninsured home owners to restore essential utilities will not be available to couples with a combined annual income of more than $48,400 or for singles who earn more than $36,600.

Ms Bligh said the payments were modelled on state-federal arrangements and were to ensure the "neediest get the most".

The line must be drawn somewhere, but why reward the uninsured and not help those who are insured? The donations were to help all people affected by the floods. I don't think that those who are uninsured are more deserving than those who are insured.

Read more on the means testing here.

Like my mother I believe that everyone should get the same amount of funds, I think that it is fair that the damage to property be determined and the amount of funding be determined by the level of inundation/damage/material loss suffered by each flood victim/family/home. For example, if the whole house has gone under the amount should be X, if the water only covered the floor the amount should by less than X. I'm not sure how to determine how much each case should get, but there should be guidelines which are applied to everyone equally.

Just because a family may earn more than another doesn't mean that they are in a better position to afford to replace/repair/rebuild. I also think that people who are insured should not be punished by not receiving funds from the pool, and those intentionally uninsured should not be rewarded for their lack of preparation.

Aerial Shots of UQ St Lucia and Ipswich during Flood 2011

Can be found here.

Have a cruise around the site.

Centenary Bridge, Centenary Highway Jindalee

This photo is from 1974 (source page), looking south across the river..

This video is from the other side in January 2011. (This is a link to a Facebook page.) This video is taken from the Jindalee overpass, near Macdonalds.

There were houses built on the site of the old Amazons water park and all these homes went underwater.

Heads should roll.