Anyone noticed?

[Article99]

When Gippsland was burning, the government did absolutely bugger all to help. It was left up to the volunteers at the CFA and SES to sort the job out. Maybe one or two spare MFB brigades, too.

A bunch of horses get the flu, their affluent owners screech of how much money it's costing them and all of a sudden the government sets up a $110 million dollar fund for the industry around it.

Where's the farmer's $110m package? :~
Bloody pollies. :((

[johnc]

There are a large number of battlers in the horse industry from stable hands, strappers, small trainers, many jockeys, two bob owners. The rich are few and far between just more prominent than the others. I don't begrudge supporting the industry.

It does raise the question on the extent of assistance for the drought, fires and floods, but there is Goverment assistance and it is better than it has been in the past. Sure it could all be better managed and many are really struggling out there but it's not so black and white as you would have us believe.

John.

[Daddles]

Bugger the racing 'industry'. It rips squillions of people every week through gambling, the bastards should be forced to support their workers and wear a bit of loss for a change. You don't see the 'industry' forking out money to the workers when they're winning do you? Gambling should support itself and it should support the workers who make it happen when times are bad. The racing 'industry' deserves no payout, only our contempt :((

Richard

[Sebastiaan56]

Bugger the racing 'industry'. It rips squillions of people every week through gambling, the bastards should be forced to support their workers and wear a bit of loss for a change. You don't see the 'industry' forking out money to the workers when they're winning do you? Gambling should support itself and it should support the workers who make it happen when times are bad. The racing 'industry' deserves no payout, only our contempt

Actually, have you noticed how quickly the ghost meetings have started, couldnt have the addicts getting off their gambling habit could we..... userous, manipulative, as bad as tobacco companies.

I feel for the horses, I had the flu this year, and the poor buggers out of work. Dont feel for the leech Govts losing income. Ever notice how small gambling addiction lines are on their promo stuff? They need the addicts

[silentC]

Look at it this way: the racing industry puts millions of dollars every year into government coffers. They either have the choice of letting it sink and kill the cash cow, or...

[Harry72]

They could two birds with one stone... make the jockeys run around the bloody track, it'll keep the industry going and stop the horse's being used for profit.
It seems funny to me that we dont race ourselfs for profit... I mean most gamblers will "bet on two flys on a wall" why not bet on running and athletics, start a whole new industry!

[pawnhead]

why not bet on running and athletics, start a whole new industry!We do (http://www.centrebet.com/olympic-athletics-betting-2004.php). I suppose there's just not enough interest unless it's the Olympics.

[Article99]

Hmm... betting on people... by god, man, that's BRILLIANT!

We could bet on politicians. Two liberals, fifty paces, six shooters, last man standing. Now THAT, is a sport I'd waste money betting on! :D

If I get a greenie for that wit, I won't be surprised. If I get a reddie, I won't be surprised either. But it means you've absolutely zero sense of humour. :p

[Iain]

CFA and SES are both Government bodies that employ full time staff as well as volunteers.
CFA is based on geographic location, Dandenong is outside the MFB area and has a large body of full time CFA members, same as many other towns/cities.
Not disagreeing with sentiments but not all are volunteers.
What peeves me is volunteers going out while DNRE (or whoever they are this week) get paid huge penalty rates for the same job.