The Queensland Floods
The cost of Queensland’s reconstruction after cyclone Yasi and the devastating floods is put at $5 billion.
To pay for this, the Federal Government is cutting environmental programs, education programs and housing programs. It did not consider cutting the military budget.
Every two years a joint Australian-American military exercise called Talisman Sabre takes place at Shoalwater Bay in central Queensland. It costs about $100 million.
Talisman Sabre 2011 is planned for July this year, despite pleas from many people for it to be cancelled to protect flood affected land and to save money which could help rebuild the state.
Australian Comparisons
| Building the Educational Revolution; $16.1 billion | ½ of 1 year's military spending |
| The Government’s 2 year economic stimulus plan - $42 billion | 1 year and 3 months military spending |
| Move Royal Adelaide Hospital to a new site - $1.7 billion | 3 weeks military spending |
| Refurbish Royal Hobart Hospital - $1 billion | 2 weeks military spending |
| Government funding of large, grid-connected solar projects (Solar Flagships Program) – $1.5 billion | 3 weeks of military spending |
| Refurbish Royal North Shore Hospital (Sydney) - $1 billion | 2 weeks military spending |
| Rebuild Wagga Wagga Base Hospital – $290 million | 3 days military spending |
|
$100 mill
for
Tamworth’s
hospital
Just
over
a day’s
military
spending |
Just over a day’s military spending |
| Acute care beds for Dubbo and Orange Base Hospital - $5 million | 1 and half hours military spending |
| EcoTransit's light rail plan for inner west Sydney – $414 million | 4 days of military spending |
| Australian overseas aid -- $4.3 billion | 1½ months military spending |
| Queensland reconstruction after the cyclone and floods --- $5 billion | 2 months military spending |