Comment on Giles snubs Alice Springs on TIO and flood risk by Jasmine Ross.
TIO under Territory Government control (underwriter) is beyond a joke.
Another Katherine flood has the potential to collapse the financial viability of our government so why would we maintain that risk. The crying from some of our contributors are simply self serving and most likely bias preaching from the rusted of left.
We have plenty of alternatives to TIO for our insurance needs, 12 in fact with most of these offering flood cover.
Sell TIO while we may get a decent price for it and put that money into infrastructure something that we are most in need of.
As far as Adam’s seat is concerned I believe it is very safe, he is doing a great job.
Since the outing those useless Labor leeches we have seen a great improvement to many aspects of this town.
Notwithstanding the massive improvement in issues of anti social behaviour this government is making inroads into development opportunities which have been stale for over a decade.
There have been great leaps made in our correctional services with schemes such as Sentenced to Work showing early signs of a revolutionary approach to stopping repeat offenders and potentially lower the appalling rate of Indigenous incarceration.
Adam has continued to attract new and exciting opportunities such as the Summer Nats and he continues to maintain close contact with the members of our community at all levels.
We have the potential of major projects such as the gas pipeline that will open up gas projects in and around Alice and the extra funding attracted from the Feds have help pump much needed money into our regional roads that serves both the wider Aboriginal Communities and the prospects of mining.
So although Alice is suffering from what could only be described as a nationwide economic downturn we have a government that is walking the walk and not following the path of our last government who gave us only lip service.
I truly believe the people of Alice are not that dumb as to consider Labor as an alternative!
Jasmine Ross Also Commented
Giles snubs Alice Springs on TIO and flood risk
@ Bob Durnan
Well Bob, I guess we will have to wait to see if Allianz will blow premiums through the roof as some of the opposition loonies suggest.
My guess is that because we have a very competitive market it will naturally restrain these increases.
I myself own a property in the Gap and insure with TIO. I am not a fan of Allianz but will keep my policy with them while they remain competitive.
In fact TIO were not the cheapest when we first insured but I chose them because them because they were “local”.
Apart from the nostalgic appeal of TIO people generally make choices based on economic fundamentals.
Much like “Australian made”, we all say we would love to buy Australian but statistics clearly show that we generally buy on economic rationality.
I absolutely refute your suggestion that the Commonwealth “fiscal equalisation” policy would shield the Territory from any major catastrophe and negates the “false economic” statements I made.
Firstly, a major flood in Katherine will break the back of the Territory Budget well beyond forward estimates and will create widespread economic and social problems for years to come.
The fiscal equalisation policy is not designed for major events but for general revenue expenditure where tax bases cannot cover costs.
The expenditure of the Territory Government has always had a false economic basis because of the high costs of a low population.
That doesn’t mean it gives us the right to make grossly idiotic decisions like keeping TIO when that risk should be borne by the insurance industry that are set up to absorb such hazards.
Finally, we do need to money. The Australian economy is now in need of Government expenditure (stimulus).
Unfortunately Labor Governments across the country had panicked during the GFC and blown budgets beyond any reasonable foundation.
Australia was still experiencing a boom in private infrastructure spending and also tax revenue and yet those incompetent loonies (yes I don’t mind repeating this term) form the left couldn’t control their natural urge of blowing other people’s money.
My point is this Government inherited a budgetary mess from those loonies and while everyone from the anti everything crowd is crying about Giles they conveniently forget he is trying to create activity while being economically hogtied. This is why he is turning to private development projects to help maintain and stimulate activity.
The sale of TIO will now give them a little room with which to help kick our economy on, not only in the short term but like any sensible infrastructure program this will benefit people of the Territory for decades to come.
Giles snubs Alice Springs on TIO and flood risk
@Bob Durnan
The early signs I mention have to do with the positive uptake within the goal itself to the program.
As night follows day the exposure to regular, sustained employment has every chance of providing them confidence needed to remain in work beyond their sentence.
The idea is to have prisoners begin work when they have at least nine months left on their sentence meaning that they will have at least this period to adjust to the normality of working life.
This is something that most of these people have never had. These are the early signs, what part of this don’t you get?
@Bob Duran
The likelihood that TIO would have increased premiums anyway is real. At the moment people have subsidised premiums for living in these zones.
These subsidies are basically carried by other policy holders and ultimately the tax payer. This is false economics and is doomed to fail if we again have a major flood like the previous one in Katherine a few years ago.
The NTG is currently looking at flood mitigation which is has some merit but is not the panacea to the problem. I would go as far to suggest that the government open land for development for those that would be affected the most so the worst of the areas could be redeveloped to cope with major flooding at least to the one in one hundred year level.
@Janet Lee
“Your statements are outright ludicrous.” If you are attempting to retort my statements with fact please do so but don’t be so arrogant to just have a whinge based on an empty ideological disposition.
BTW, I have lived here for 44 years and no I am not a member of the CLP but I recognise some of the good work they are doing under very difficult circumstances.
One area that I would be critical of the current government is the lack of action with departments. The Government maintains that much of their budgets to the departments have not changed yet we find massive cut backs across nearly all.
Either the government is lying or the departments have become dysfunctional. Either way the buck stops with the Chief Minister.
Recent Comments by Jasmine Ross
Zoning approval for White Gums subdivision
@ Harvey, are you on drugs? Your post makes as much sense as the Greens’ economic policy.
How and why do the moderators let this drivel slip?
Anyhow, well done Steve Brown, this project is another step forward for the town and nearly everyone that I have spoken to says the same.
Virgin to fly Adelaide – Alice – Darwin
This is great news but our tourism sector also needs these flights ex Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Hopefully we can again attract people here and make these routes viable!
