Non disaster victims win claim rights | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

11th July 2009

SO now people who were not directly exposed to a natural disaster have greater compensation rights than Coffs Coast flood victims.

The Disaster Recovery injustice just gets more and more outrageous.

While the Federal Government has treated residents here with miserly disdain, 7000 Victorians who suffered no direct impact from the bushfires there have put their hands out - and had them filled with Disaster Recovery payments.

One volunteer firefighter who lost his home described those opportunists who claimed the payment under false pretences as 'despicable'.

Indeed they are.

But here people are also entitled to ask how the Government could have such loose evaluation criteria over a fund they staunchly refuse to make available here.

More than 6000 people signed The Advocate's petition seeking flood payment equality - which is still under Ministerial review - yet more people than that claimed the $1000 under dubious circumstances in Victoria and no review process has been enacted.

It's disgraceful.

Minister for Community Services Jenny Macklin can still right this terrible wrong.

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