julia issues warning, page-22

I think that post touches on the reason why the flood tax generated so much heat. Australians, and others too, are quick to rally to help and support people who through no fault of their own, suffer misfortune. Its a wonderful intangible instinct.

So what happened was that people everywhere were rallying to help the flood victims in all sorts of ways, when suddenly Big Brother, or maybe Sister, - strode in to the room and started ordering these generous souls about. The flood tax. The natural reaction is to tell such interfering insensitve grandstanders to, err, move on.