Levee & Levy

I wonder if the new Flood Levy will protect Julia Gillard and the Labour Party from the wrath of the Greens and Solar Retailers after the announcement of cut-backs to various solar schemes. A Levee is supposed to protect against the overflowing rivers, so perhaps Julia hopes the possible introduction of a Carbon Tax will act to protect her from the river of public opinion on her Flood Levy and cutbacks to Climate Change schemes.
I was listening to ABC Local with John Faine today hearing how someone who earns >$200,000 doesn't consider himself rich and objects to the Flood Levy! As a mere local government employee my chance of earning that amount is small, unless I'm the Mayor (no hope there). I don't like the Levy either but lets not confuse donations to individuals, infrastructure replacement funding (Flood Levy) and how people earning $200,000 chose to spend their large income.
The idea of a Disaster fund is seductive but if the severity and number of disasters increase as indicated by many climate change models, then who will be wanting to fund those concerned? The Insurance Council indicates "Without effective mitigation of the extreme weather and climate risks facing property and assets, the cost of offsetting those risks (insuring) is likely to rise in proportion to the risk." - in other words the cost is going to keep rising for disasters.
The Garnaut Review (Chapter 15) predicted "Some may expect that government can, and should, protect the community from climate change by implementing the right strategy, program or initiative to allow Australians to maintain established lifestyles. This is not a realistic expectation for four reasons. First, climate change will require adjustment of innumerable, locally specific customs and practices over time. Second, the range and scale of impacts that is likely across Australia is such that it is not feasible for governments to underwrite maintenance of established patterns of life for all people in all places.
Third, the uncertainty surrounding climate change impacts makes it impossible to predict their timing, magnitude or location with precision. Finally appropriate responses to climate change impacts will be specific to circumstances. In many instances, centralised government will lack the agility to orchestrate a differentiated response with the necessary precision to address local needs."
The Governments response and the Oppositions reply is concerning for us all.