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[keiichi]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&e=2&u=/ap/20050105/ap_on_re_as/tsunami_australia

Wow. Seems like everyone is upping their monetary aid. Very nice to see.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Australia became the largest donor to the tsunami relief effort Wednesday, committing $764 million in loans and grants to help Indonesia recover from the disaster.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced the increased aid package while visiting the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Australia previously announced a $47 million aid package, but it was unclear whether the $47 million was included in the new package or whether it was separate.

"This is a historic step in Indonesian-Australian relations in the wake of this terrible natural disaster," Howard said.

Earlier Wednesday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder increased his country's aid package from $27 million to $674 million. The money will be distributed over three to five years, he said.

The United Nations (news - web sites) has said countries have pledged more than $2 billion in aid after Indian Ocean region was devastated by a Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 150,000 people.

Australia's aid package will be split into grants for short-term relief and loans for long-term reconstruction.

Howard said he and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would lead a commission to monitor how the money is spent.

"It will in every respect be a partnership between Australia and Indonesia," Howard said.

 

[Tazznum1]

Wow. They are going to have better schools, roads, and trains than us when this is all over.

Australia became the largest donor to the tsunami relief effort Wednesday, committing $764 million in loans and grants to help Indonesia recover from the disaster.

Heeeey! That don't count!

 

[Boogie]

The "loans" part has me skeptical.

 

[Zelda-Bitch]

Yeah, the whole "loans" thing means they want their money back, doesn't it?

I forsee a few boomerang making sweat shops in the future....

 

[Kon Tiki]

I bet AUS wants dips on first born sons.

 

[Tazznum1]

From what I heard, people are just taking orphans illegally.

 

[Red Dolphin]

Ignore this post

 

[ManDudeChild]

So what's the latest scores in this game of one-up that countries are playing?

 

[Red Dolphin]

I'm all for donating to help out this awful tragedy but on the news tonight (Perth, Western Australia) they had a poll on whether we should cancel the Australia Day skyworks (fireworks) and put it towards the Tsuami appeal or not. This is BS. This is a yearly tradition and the amount of money that would be saved and put towards the Tsuami is minimal compared to the rest of the money Australia is donating. I think they are getting enough from Australia. Obivously there will never be enought money as this is going to take many years to overcome. I don't mean to come off an arsehole but yeah..

 

[Stele]

This is BS. I think they are getting enough. Obivously there will never be enought money as this is going to take many years to overcome.

Good job on contradicting yourself. I think you can live without your fireworks.

 

[Red Dolphin]

Good job on contradicting yourself. I think you can live without your fireworks.

I edited my post but I don't think it'll matter. My point is that the money from the fireworks that would go to their cause would be TINY compared to the rest donated. At some point you have to draw the line. No amount of money will ever be enough so cancelling the fireworks (no matter how trivial they may seem to you) is really pointless.

 

[Stele]

Yeah, I'm drawing a line around people like you and calling it "selfish dicks" territory.

 

[Red Dolphin]

Yeah, I'm drawing a line around people like you and calling it "selfish dicks" territory.

I can see how this comes off as totally selfish but you must have some idea of where i'm coming from? Ah never mind..

Also it turns out Australia is only "loaning" them money so I guess Australia as awhole is just damn selfish!

 

[Pimpwerx]

I don't know about cancelling a national celebration to send money for aid. I don't think it's necessary. Why cut quality of life items like Australia Day when they could probably just shave off from all the other worthless pork in the budget. It's like the two Bush's and Clinton having the audacity to stand on a stage and ask the American people to donate. Fuck you, we already pay taxes. Taxes are supposed to be our government's money to do stuff with, including donations. I find it extremely insulting. They've all ok'd criminal amounts of military spending in their terms. We spend more on a single B-2 bomber than we have on the tsunami aid, so it's complete and utter bullshit that they should ask common taxpayers for more money. If stealth bombers > human lives, then so be it, that's the shitty priorities this country has. We deserve to be ridiculed. PEACE.

EDIT: BTW, Michael Schumacher donated $10M all by himself. Tax break or not, that's what you call generous. Maybe the Clintons and Bush's should just shut the fuck up and ante up.

 

[Zelda-Bitch]

:lol

Oh Nos! My fireworks!

 

[Do The Mario]

I'm all for donating to help out this awful tragedy but on the news tonight (Perth, Western Australia) they had a poll on whether we should cancel the Australia Day skyworks (fireworks) and put it towards the Tsuami appeal or not. This is BS. This is a yearly tradition and the amount of money that would be saved and put towards the Tsuami is minimal compared to the rest of the money Australia is donating. I think they are getting enough from Australia. Obivously there will never be enought money as this is going to take many years to overcome. I don't mean to come off an arsehole but yeah..

Yeah I am willing to cut Australia day fire works in Perth, seriously every year I go to a mates house we drink play cricket have a great time. Then we make our way down to a major vantage point for the fire works and the place is littered with underage people drunk off there nut. This year we weren’t even going to watch them just keep partying at mine!

I never actually watch the skyshow, anyway It probably should go ahead, just because I don’t enjoy it doesn’t mean others don’t.

 

[Red Dolphin]

:lol

Oh Nos! My fireworks!

:lol

Yeah I am willing to cut Australia day fire works in Perth, seriously every year I go to a mates house we drink play cricket have a great time. Then we make our way down to a major vantage point for the fire works and the place is littered with underage people drunk off there nut. This year we weren’t even going to watch them just keep partying at mine!

I never actually watch the skyshow, anyway It probably should go ahead, just because I don’t enjoy it doesn’t mean others don’t.

I actually don't care about the fireworks either to be honest. But it's supposed to be a National Celebration of Australia and more then just a bunch of fireworks going off. I don't see why we have to sacrifice this when the money that would be put forward from it, is so minimal and trivial in the big picture.

 

[Zelda-Bitch]

Every dollar counts young man!