tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post5957028818096304734..comments2024-01-29T03:04:24.219+11:00Comments on Flinders Family Freer: The return of the blue slug.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-19904134438510709092011-02-06T17:13:54.942+11:002011-02-06T17:13:54.942+11:00In a former life (mainframe computer software) I h...In a former life (mainframe computer software) I had occasion to visit a company in Dallas a few times. One of the Dallas guys I worked with was from India. His wife ran a small food stall. He mentioned that she had a large visible sign stating that she carried NO insurance. Result, she was never sued. Had she not had the sign, one imagines she might have been sued because the curry had chillis in it and the type, source and labour practices of the chilli farmer was not specified, or the coffee was too hot.<br /> <br />(Our labour relations company sent a very competent lawyer to a meeting some years ago. I asked the lawyer what her background was and she replied “I am a criminal lawyer”. My flippant response went down like a lead balloon – “but I thought all lawyers were criminals”…)Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11418497274946318891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-92141028624360815152011-02-06T01:34:16.227+11:002011-02-06T01:34:16.227+11:00One of the things that moved me to tears when I li...One of the things that moved me to tears when I lived in Oz was the reactions of ordinary people to others in need. I can't remember now if it was a flood, fire or drought on the coast; what I remember was the response - train car loads full of food, clothes, and most importantly, car after car of bales of hay to feed livestock in the east.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-28855716715665640832011-02-06T01:29:23.998+11:002011-02-06T01:29:23.998+11:00Too true. It was my reflex at having to deal with...Too true. It was my reflex at having to deal with lawyers in accident investigations ("there are no accidents in accident investigations"), where our version of "fault" differs from their version. We're trying to work out what happened so we can take precautions against it happening again, whilst they are trying to work out who to blame for the fact that it happened in the first place. Which is quite a different thing.<br /><br />But yes, the compulsory liability insurance requirement definitely hurt a lot of small communities and associations and stopped them holding events (or even causing them to disband). As I said, even a picnic in a park could be considered a violation of the law (not that it would be tested for fear of setting an unwanted precedent). Now that it's the status quo I don't expect them to go back to the staus quo ante.Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-35640404827008504732011-02-05T18:11:06.655+11:002011-02-05T18:11:06.655+11:00Reverence Pavane - intrinsically you left one word...Reverence Pavane - intrinsically you left one word out of your '[* "Somebody must be at fault. And whoever is at fault will have to pay. Even if that fault was best practice or undetectable at the time." **]'<br /><br />the word is ELSE - just after somebody.<br /><br />It is hell on small communities and social cohesiveness - which is really what helps for disasters. I hope this pendulum swingsthe other way really soon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-82445579927294369132011-02-05T18:07:56.348+11:002011-02-05T18:07:56.348+11:00MataPam - thank you for that :-) lifts my day.MataPam - thank you for that :-) lifts my day.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-12388678682799891892011-02-05T18:06:52.093+11:002011-02-05T18:06:52.093+11:00Peter - some governments anyway. The floods in goo...Peter - some governments anyway. The floods in good old SA still kill a depressing number on the Jukskei for example, every couple of years. Some of the downpour in Yasi was around twice Demoina -in the meter of rain in the same time, and with the wind too - and flooding has spread right across half of Australia -rains as far as South Australia - 1500 km away as a result. But they have a fantastic system of alerts (including SMS to your phone alerts for people in flood prone areas) and really good volunteer emergency services, as well as integrating govt, with things like police and army. I just can't see that level of social commitment and cohesiveness or skill or organisation in South Africa. It's probably the most impressive aspect I've seen of Australia. I've seen things that annoy me, things I like and don't like, but their disaster management so far leaves me in awe (and that's even for minor disasters here on the island).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-74304288042736120902011-02-05T17:47:15.943+11:002011-02-05T17:47:15.943+11:00Demoina occurred in 1984.
Most of the damage was...Demoina occurred in 1984.<br /> <br />Most of the damage was caused by the huge amount of rainfall (540mm in 24 hours recorded in some places), bridges washed away etc. which hampered rescue operations. Flooding even occurred inland where we live, approx. 120 kms from the coast and 1,200 metres above sea level, e.g. rivers bursting their banks etc.<br /><br />Yasi occurred in 2011.<br /><br />It is good to see that governments have used the intervening 27 years to learn more about handling natural phenomena. Improved communications over the intervening 27 years should help even South Africa get the message across to citizens and help to keep the casualty count down.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11418497274946318891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-69024192645125312632011-02-05T03:46:53.769+11:002011-02-05T03:46:53.769+11:00Speaking of Fionn, my mother just finished Dragon&...Speaking of Fionn, my mother just finished Dragon's Ring and loved it.MataPamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11128604732495114033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301791108611372665.post-14793233789604145992011-02-05T01:32:26.752+11:002011-02-05T01:32:26.752+11:00I believe a rather clever lawyer managed to convin...I believe a rather clever lawyer managed to convince a NSW court that the local council was liable for <i>not</i> signposting the fact that there was a sandbar at a beach, after a surfer became a paraplegic by discovering it for himself.<br /><br />After that the personal injury lawyers and insurance companies set up a big scare campaign to convince the various state governments to regulate that all gatherings of people had to be covered by public liability insurance before they could be held, and you've got the situation you've got now.<br /><br />The lawyers (who have wanted to move to a US style of litigation for a looong time*) are happy. The insurance companies are happy (especially since they can still contest the claims quite readily, employing aforementioned lawyers). Only the small social and hobby clubs are really unhappy. It was the death of many fetes and meetings. And made a picnic in the park illegal.<br /><br />[Please add or subtract cynicism to taste.]<br /><br />[* "Somebody must be at fault. And whoever is at fault will have to pay. Even if that fault was best practice or undetectable at the time." **]<br /><br />[** Don't get me started on medical malpractice insurance...]Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.com