News Mail
16/03/2011
Rip-off merchants float to the surface after floods
OPEP.APON
-RECOVERY
QUEENSLANDERS have
shown they are prepared to
help mates in need, but I
sense some are tempted to
see the work of reconstruc-
tion as an opportunity to
make additional profits or be-
nefit at the expense of others.
I have read newspaper arti-
cles already talking about 10
to 15 per cent increases for
materials and find this to be
disconcerting as I have been
advised by a number of auth-
oritative sources there
should not be significant
shortages of construction
material, equipment and la-
bour that will be needed as
councils and communities re-
build in the months ahead.
The Queensland Recon-
struction Authority will be
looking for the best value for
money across Queensland as
we rebuild infrastructure.
Much of the work will be
funded by taxpayers, not just
from Queensland, but from
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Page: 2
Section: General News
Region: Bundaberg QLD Circulation: 10835
Type: Regional
Size: 194.00 sq.cms
Frequency: MTWTFS-
all over Australia. The tax-
payers are entitled to know
they are getting the best va-
lue for their contribution.
But I expect councils to
deal with the authority with
realistic expectations.
We are not here to provide
funding from the federal or
state governments for com-
munity infrastructure that
they should have had in place
pre-flood or pre-cyclone. Ho-
wever on behalf of councils,
we are attempting to source
support and financial assis-
tance from corporate and in-
ternational donors to meet
some of the important work
that falls outside government
funding provisions.
The commercial sector
must also be realistic in set-
ting its profit margins. This is
not an opportunity to take ad-
ditional profits from a com-
munity in hardship. By all
means charge a fair price -
but not an inflated price be-
cause it can be explained
away easily within the con-
text of the circumstances of
the floods or cyclones.
A debate has continued on
the issue of returning the ar-
my to work on private proper-
ty throughout disaster-af-
fected areas long after the
last signs of any emergency
have passed.
I must make it clear that I
have no authority to direct
such actions to occur.
However in regard to the
recent requests that have
been debated in the public fo-
rum, I believe that it would be
inappropriate to task the ar-
my with the outstanding
work, particularly where that
work is on private property.
It is true that soldiers did
work on private property in
some areas during the period
of the emergency but that is
not justification to expect the
army to be used as free la-
bour gangs long after the
emergency has passed.
Some believe that it is un-
fair because others received
assistance and these people
now complaining did not. I
have looked at the additional
work that people have called
for the army to undertake
and my professional advice is
that it should not be complet-
ed by the army at this time.
On a more positive note, it
is heartening to see dona-
tions and assistance reaching
the areas where they make a
tangible difference. Nissan
has donated up to 200 cars for
flood and cyclone impacted
groups. It is not difficult for
corporations to follow the
Nissan example and help by
making a tangible difference.
It's simple - just go to
www.qIdreconstruction.org.
au/joining-forces and list
your details or link up with a
group in need.
Ref: 00095541682