Australia raises more at a cricket match for Tsunami victims than the NZ Government gives in aid.

IN true Australian fashion, the nation turned to sport in response to its heartbreak over the tsunami disaster and raised $14.6 million for the devastated regions of Sri Lanka and India.

Striving hard be outdone, NZ offers the proceeds of an afternoon tea party at the Lefty Luvvies club in Wellington.

NEW Zealand will dramatically raise its tsunami aid after criticism of the Government’s “inadequate” $NZ10million donation and embarrassment over aircraft breakdowns that have hampered aid flights.

Not only is Hulun Clarke tight she is also anti military. Having disabled the fighter arm of the NZ Airforce she has also opted to rebuild 38 year old Hercules aircraft rather than buy new ones. And pays the cost.

Two New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules planes have struck maintenance problems in recent days while attempting to deliver aid to the Indonesian province of Aceh, forcing flights to be delayed and preventing Foreign Minister Phil Goff from touring the devastated region.

I though left leaning governments were big on charity but with Australia giving an average of $57.25 per person and NZ $2.45 per I’m not so sure. I don’t have an issue with Kiwis per se except to point out that they are developing a track record of voting in weird governments. I now wait for the caterwauling from the left about how Hulun Clarke was embarrased into increasing donations to the Tsunami victims – just like George Bush. Waiting…waiting….waiting

Go here for the best set of photos of the devastation resulting from the tsunami. The photos are before and after satellite shots with a toggle for easy comparison. They are very graphic, particulalry Set 5 and 6 that captures the damage at Banda Aceh Shore. Courtesy reader Bob Buick.

Just to reinforce my post yesterday where I mentioned some idiot at Surfdom complaining about the US sending an aircraft carrier to Sumatra might I suggest you visit Varifrank and read his comments on the matter. Very succinct via AE Brain

In the early days of the Tsunami disaster every western country volunteered aid proportional to the number of known victims. As this number increased so did the amount of aid offered. Each and every country adjusted as incoming figures indicated the problem was far greater that originally thought. In each and every country this was accepted as reasonable except in the case of the US. Because Bush and the US are so hated by left wing commentators it become a case of ‘Bush was embarrassed into giving more’. Over at Surfdom Tim is ranting – in full stride – castigating Bush. He even accused Bush of being so terrible that he ‘Ordered’ flags to be flown at half mast as if this was a sin in itself. To quote Tim in all his snide ignorance

But wait, I’m being unfair. There’s more: US President George Bush said the carnage defied comprehension and ordered that flags be flown at half-mast across America in honour of the tsunami dead. Don’t you love the way they use the word “ordered” in that sentence? He ordered the flags be flown at half mast. Makes you quiver. And sure enough, as we continued along Pennsylvania Avenue, there atop the National Archives building was a half-mast stars-and-stripes. He ordered that.

Such amazing ignorance from an educated man. Flags are always ‘Ordered’ to be flown at half mast for occasions such as this. It’s an Executive order you idiot. Otherwise how do you think the entire nation would co-ordinate the event. The Indonesian President orders flags to be flown at half mast;

President Yudhoyono, who is on his way to Sumatra’s Aceh region to witness the extent of the damage and inspect relief efforts, has ordered flags to be flown at half-mast.

but gets no flack. French President..British PM…Australian PM…German President… Finnish..Swedish..In short, everybody ?Orders? the nations flags to fly at half mast but only Bush warrants snide comments. People leaving comments at Tim’s post likewise show an amazing amount of ignorance. One, going by the alias of Link leaves us with this wisdom

2,300 Marines aboard the Missouri, parked off the coast of Sumatra – doing what? Turning a disaster into a war opportunity. How could Indonesia allow it? Malaysia apparently rejected offers of Israeli aid because they wanted to bring troops with them. Did Indonesia have any say in this? Can we tell the Missouri to leave a big cheque, perhaps a big helicopter but for the most part to fuck right off?

What appalling ignorance. I can imagine that Link’s vision is impaired with a red mist occasioned by hatred for Bush and all things American and therefore could not see that in the TV reports the lines of supply – roads, rail, airports etc are all damaged. Having a carrier group off the coast compensates for all this. The helicopters have their own maintenance hangars, their own fuel supply and a large ship for storage and handling of emergency supplies. Oh, and?Link, it’s the USS Abraham Lincoln, not the Missouri (which, coincidently is a Battle ship)

En route to South Asia: the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group, equipped with 12 helicopters, and a Marine expeditionary force with seven ships and 25 helicopters.

The carrier group most probably costs millions a day to operate but never mind – the left have worked out how to belittle the US contribution. The USS Abe Lincoln off Aceh It’s great and if Australia had a carrier our support would be the better for it. There has been talk of a Marshall Plan for Asia. In a recent News. com article Tim Costello raises the issue as does the LA Times. It makes sense and may be the way to go. It could impact on terrorist recruitment in Asia as well. Indonesian terrorists have been reasonably successful in painting Australia as evil, particularly in the light of East Timor however the hue has changed. The people know who is helping and it isn’t the Moslem world. For those unfamiliar with the term Marshall Plan, I have provided links for your information. Left wing types should be cautioned – it is very difficult to fault the US in this matter so you may find it unsettling. In fact, thinking about it, maybe you should stay away from facts and maintain you?re ignorance. Others should visit USAID’s Marshall Plan home page and also check in at the Marshall Foundation Knowledge. The ammo in the war against the stupid Left

As a matter of interest, can anyone tell me how much Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman or Yemen have donated to the Tsunami victims. There is some serious money over there with Iran’s GDP just a little less than Australia’s and Saudi Arabia’s nearly 300 billion. There are a lot of Moslems in the troubled areas so one would think they would want to help their brothers even if they ignored the plight of any christians. I’m sure they are helping – I just haven’t seen it in the media

I was in Nha Trang when the news of the Tsunami hit the TV and as has happened many times in the past I was proud to be an Australian. Very early into the tragedy we saw fairly extensive coverage of Foerign Affairs Minister Downer offering millions in aid with video of RAAF Hercules aircraft leaving for the area with water, tarps etc on board. Several hours later Downer and Australia were still the lead item of BBC Asia and CNN Hong Kong broadcasts after stats and tsunami videos. For hours we were the only first-world nation reported as doing something to help. That type of positive coverage means more than ASEAN meetings ever will and leaves an indellible positive impression on the minds of Asian nationals, expats and tourists. I note in todays press people are talking about an early warning system for Tsunamis. Michael Richardson posts an article in the Australian says;

Scientists estimate that Sunday’s tsunami, travelling at an average speed of about 800km/h, took at least two hours to reach Sri Lanka and India ? more than sufficient time for an advance alert to have been given, had a system such as that in the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, been in operation.

I’m sure Governments, engineers and social workers can work it out but don’t imagine for a moment that two hours notice is going to change everything. Two hours notice at Phu Ket would have saved alot of tourists but in Aceh – I’m not so sure that the locals could have moved far enough to save themselves. I think the water reached 6 or more kilometers inland and that was after the area suffered damage from the earthquake itself. When you are looking through the rubble that was your home it’s hard to the have to run with your kids and the chatells you feel you should save. Third world country…poverty…living by fishing…living near the coast…the luxury of choosing your circumstances and locality isn’t always available. It’s not easy but I agree we do need to work on it. We do need to help these poor people but a Tsunami Early Warning sytem only addresses one of the many tragedies they face in their daily lives. In Aceh particularly, Moslem activists will be saying ‘Insaf Allah’ (It is the will of Allah) believing that Allah has smitten the christians of Ache. Poor buggers – there are many ways to die.