Third disaster season since the Emergency Reponse Fund ($4.8B) was created - not a cent spent yet. Why?

Just how much gluttony can this Federal Government embellish before you realise maybe they don't give a rats about the Australian people?

[There's] attention on the fact that the aforementioned emergency response money has not been touched. In fact, the Emergency Response Fund has paid out zero dollars so far. Not a single disaster mitigation project completed.

Any OzB's from Lismore? Are you happy that Lismore was left off the Preparing Australian Communities initiative (a Commonwealth-fund to support projects that help communities be better prepared for future disasters) even though it is the most flood prone city in Australia. Couldn't possibly be because it's a relatively safe Labor seat, surely?

Hope everyone is safe and well in these trying times, lads and ladettes.

Comments

  • +10

    Scott Morrison finally managed to catch something.

    Covid.

  • +12

    May be they're saving the 💵 for a rainy day?

    • +5

      Smart ar$e lmao

  • +1

    Every `^ ing year that area has a one in a 1000 year flood event .
    I bet insurance won't cover them unless a ridiculous premium is paid .

    • I'm from Lismore. Alot of businesses and homes after 2017 could not afford insurance so have none and now this devestation. The whole town has been wiped off the map. No shops, industrial areas. No services have survived. Only a couple of shops now in Goonellabah to service everyone. There have been so many businesses that have already come out and said I'm done. Add to this previous councils mess. They would not fund initial $5 million research into flood mitigation strategies for the regional area but the damage bill from the events will be close to a billion.

  • The real answer: it's a fund of last resort, it's only meant to be spent if all other available emergency funding is exhausted.

    Yes, I think it's ridiculous (don't shoot the messenger) and

    1. a good excuse for a perpetual "look at our planning skills for the community" dot point announcement
    2. a nice little way to earn some cash for other projects (has earned $800 million in interest)
    • It's a fund of last resort, it's only meant to be spent if all other available emergency funding is exhausted.

      Can I ask, says who? (not being snarky, I am asking seriously)

      • +1

        Here's an article quoting Shane Stone, head of National Recovery and Resilience Agency on it:

        https://www.farmonline.com.au/story/7615183/flood-fire-or-dr…

        Littleproud and McKenzie refer in passing to the concept as well when questioned on it, so they both agree with the treatment.

        • +1

          Mr Stone was asked how the government could justify not using the full $200m annual allocation, particularly when people on the NSW South Coast were still living in caravans or running their business out of sheds after the 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfires.

          Says enough to me about their priorities.I wouldn't trust Littleproud of McKenzie as far as I could throw them

    • +8

      So it will be available after Dutton's GoFundMe funds have been used?

      • +5

        It exists for the purposes of re-purposing, at a point where there is a suitable purpose.

        Basically, until someone rolls a white board into the PMO to make a stand on something election-related, or until a donor needs a 'hand-up' to pay out a spike in insurance claims, or <insert donor's other chosen cause here>

  • With due diligence I wouldn't build a house at low tide on the beach .

    • -1

      When for art thou diligence emerge?
      After the King's high tide?
      Before the erection of thy storm-proof mansion?
      Maybe after it disappeared below a God's submersion.
      It makes little difference, except to someone's life,
      And the enlargement of our Great Plastic Paradise, floating upon the Atlantic Ocean.

      But, once, it was a planning decision made by someone 'popularly elected', and a developer. These people always remain un-named, and un-shamed.

      Our reporters are paid only to show the impact, not the cause. And we expect little more!

    • +1

      Maybe the problem is with our building standards.
      There are plenty of buildings (castles, lighthouses, etc.) that have been pummelled by waves for decades / centuries.

  • +8

    Why? Because we have a Liberal Government.

    • Why? Couldn't possibly be!

  • +1

    They know they're on the way out and i feel they've all but given up on looking after their taxpayers.
    The opinion polls are not particularly kind at the moment and Scomo is looking for distractions.

    • +1

      A cynic may suggest that the timing of Scomo's COVID is not entirely fortuitous.
      I hope he is, as a person, not seriously affected, but it is very similar to Trump and Boris.

  • +10

    Because rich people haven’t been affected. Maybe when the Northern Beaches is affected the money will be rolled out.

  • +2

    Politicians don't give a shit about you or me, all they care about is the appearance of doing their job, and keeping that steady pay cheque.

    • +3

      Don't you dare tar the L/NP and Labor with the same brush. What a ridiculous thing to say and, honestly, exactly what the LNP love: despondent voters

      • +2

        I agree; there are some politicians who work hard with the interests of their electorate front-of-mind. Unfortunately very few of them in the LNP, from my observations.

  • -2

    Please no Flood Levy.

    Western Australians should NEVER have to pay for QLD and NSW calamities again, especially when their governments choose to self insure.

    • I agree we need your funds for more Covid relief .

    • This is Australia mate. One country not 2. WA is part of Australia, no matter how much you want secession. You WA people have been banging on for over a hundred years to withdraw from the Commonwealth. Not going to happen, so suck it up and support your country.

  • Wild guess that it hasn't been allocated to a departmental budget by treasury. Then likely needs departmental planning initially and program creation, staff recruited and processes and systems propped up by the new program management. Then contractors brought in to deliver under the program.

  • +2

    Hopefully it isn't too early for this comment, but thank goodness we won't have another flood of this nature for 1,000 years.

  • +2

    Didn't they give 4 billion to some tin pot outfit to fix the Great Barrier Reef ?

    • +1

      $444m but just as ridiculous, aye

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