How Brisbane and Canberra waste your money ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

$5m to keep dead tree alive

2 January 2008

The Tree of Knowledge died but Barcaldine residents are determined to keep respect for it alive with the help of the state and federal governments.

It will cost taxpayers $5.1 million – $2.6 million committed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the rest from Premier Anna Bligh – but it is worth it, Barcaldine Mayor Rob Chandler says.

Cr Chandler, whose job is not all that secure due to looming council amalgamations, said about 20 per cent of locals approved of the memorial planned for the site of the tree, which is being preserved in Brisbane for eventual relocation to Barcaldine.
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See - $5.1 million to keep dead tree alive.

How much would the Federal and State Labor MPs contribute to keep the memory of their icon alive if it came out of their own pockets - probably quickly become the $750 memorial ...