Baillieu won't condemn levy plan
January 22, 2011
VICTORIAN Premier Ted Baillieu has left the door open to support a one-off national flood levy, refusing to condemn the plan in line with the federal Liberals.
Mr Baillieu yesterday refused to criticise the proposed levy, saying it was a matter for the Prime Minister how the national government paid for disasters and kept the budget in surplus.
"I'm going to leave it to Julia Gillard and her government. I don't think it will be helpful for us to be attempting to call the shots from Victoria," he said.
"We have our own trauma, and we will deal with that. The expenses and the cost of that will be shared to a substantial degree with the commonwealth. They have to run their budget arrangements the way they see fit."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/queensland-floods/baillieu-wont-condemn...And in the anticipated flip-flop ... with a word in his ear from the Federal Opposition ...
Baillieu attacks extra cost for families
January 28, 2011
PREMIER Ted Baillieu said he had significant reservations about the federal flood levy, arguing that funding of rebuilding in flood-hit areas should not increase families' costs.
'The crisis is not yet over in Victoria,'' Mr Baillieu said.
'Trying to find savings from existing spending would have been a better approach, because it would cause less damage to family budgets.''
State Nationals leader and Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said he was concerned that the levy could have an inflationary effect.
''I would have much preferred to have seen this be able to be handled from the government's resources rather than these additional costs being put upon people,'' he said.
A family on the average income would be slugged $1.44 per week with the "big new tax"
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-attacks-extra-cost-for-families-20110...Victoria will fight for its share of levy
January 27, 2011
The Victorian government says savings from existing spending programs and the deferral of infrastructure projects would have been better than hitting households with a levy to rebuild flood-affected communities.
"Trying to find savings from existing spending would have been a better approach, because it would cause less damage to family budgets" Mr Baillieu said in a statement.
Mr Baillieu said the government was seeking urgent advice from Canberra about which Victorian projects and infrastructure spending would be cut, adding it was concerned about the inflationary impacts of the levy.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/victoria-will-fight-for-its-s...