Australians,Wrong colour,wrong religion or too rich

[SalvadorDalek]

I have not seen a disaster appeal for the floods in Australia (I dont know if there is one so forgive me if there is)
Are they not worthy?

You know what, we are rich here in Australia. Rich in mateship, guts and determination and indomitable spirit.

Over 50,000 volunteers turned up today to start the big clean, in affected towns and cities all over the State. 50,000. Can you even begin to imagine that?

And ARFFFFF at the person who said we should 'prepare' better. Best laugh I've had all day.

You are rich in that you have a responsible government, good building regulations and an impressive record on corruption, or the lack of it, combined with a civil code combining altruism with social responsibility. That is not serendipity. You created it.

Have you not seen what's happening in Brazil. Whole shanty towns sliding off hills etc.

My heart goes out to the people of Brisbane, but unfortunately there are others in more need in other parts of the world and this may affect the way the international community respond to their disaster.

Brazil is a wealthy country that has failed to regulate and failed to invest on its poorest citizens.

It is also deeply corrupt. Australia's disaster is a truly natural cataclysm, it is not a miracle the deaths were fewer, it is because of the kind of state Australia has created. In Brazil, the number of deaths is directly relayed to poor governance and a failure of social and financial responsibility. In Australia, relief will directly help. In Brazil, nothing will change until governance is improved. If you doubt me, listen to Brazil's new head of state. She explains it and admits it.

I heard that a lot of people cannot get insurance because of the previous flooding in 74. Or they might be able to get but the premiums are sky high and they cannot afford it.

Also some people have very little and insuring it seems a waste of money. When I was poor it seemed madness to pay 20 quid a month or whatever when my possessions amounted to a couple of hundred quid.

Whatever - what is the point of this thread? Do you think black people get all the money and white people get fuck all? Is that what you are trying to say, if so just say it.

Australia deserves any help it needs and I would hope that if it does need it, something will be set up. I think it highly unlikely that there is some sort of law that says 'on no account may white, English speaking people be allowed to recieve help or ask for emergency funding' or any sort of press ban on reporting on fundraising or anything in the Charity commisions charter that says 'white ,english speaking nations may not set up emergency appeals'.

So what DO you mean. Or are you just trying to stir up some nastiness?

As for Brazil being rich, the country could be plated in gold but that doesnt mean the majority of its citizens see any of the wealth. Many of the African countries are rolling in it and there are still children dying of starvation.

Its seems opportunistic in the meanest way to use a tragedy like this to try and stir up hatred for innocent victims of other disasters.

Brazil has had more fatalities because of the mudslides. Houses are built illegaly in unsafe areas. Brazil is densely poputlated and Australia is not.

You can have a massive earthquake in a desert and no one will die and a small one in a city and thousands will.

What a joke that Australians are the wrong colour. Cos they is all white innit

The point is not stirring up hatred; at least mine isn't. The point is that all the sympathy and donations in the world will make no difference in Brazil unless governance improves. Combine that with corruption and tenderpreneirism and you have a disaster appeal I certainly won't support.

Brazil has had more fatalities because its poorest are provided for and forced to construct illegal housing in dangerous areas, untouched by building safety regulations, with the blind eye of local and national governance and corrupt and unregulated building con.tractors.

It's poorest are NOT provided for, that should say. It is brazil's fault and only brasil can solvente tner problem. Er can saya aaawww but ir won't make a haporth of difference útil brasil puts its house in order.

Ngos will have to use local contractors.

I think mu pone has switched to w weird spell check-in.

Words fail me.

We are watching, sat in our comfortable dry homes, the lives of thousands of innocent people literally washed away. The loss of life is heart breaking.

I have cried more times than I care to count this week, I felt so full of despair when the reports came in about Brazil too.

So who's life do we put more value on? The rich Aussies or the the poor shanty town dwellers in Brazil?

A life is a life, regardless of their government's corruption or how many nuclear weapons they may be stockpiling.

The strength of the Australian people has shone through, but we should give help where it is needed - whether that be a financial appeal or the offer of any other assistance.

The corruption of the Brazilian local government has shone through, we should also give help here to - perhaps assistance in the form of rescue teams/builders/materials, to make sure that the money raised goes to the people who need it and isn't used to line the councillor's pockets.

As for the Cumbrian floods, we have a government fully capable of rehousing/funding those people, however they have proved (to my knowledge) incompetent and uninterested.

What? Ridículous SGM. I am proud to Livedoor in a country wirh such a progressive welfare state. I deplore the way it us abused. But i am proud it us installed. You have a prejudice.

No, i am denying that everyone hates poor people

Yours? I agree.

You have no idea what a shining beacon the british welfare state is.

I am afraid your understanding is less comprehensive than you might imagine.

Yes: of the global significance of the british welfare state compare with welfare provision, including protections enshrined in law, for poor people compared the the support offered across allí nations.