Queensland Floods

[Julia]

I'm sure everyone is aware of the disaster that is affecting much of Queensland at present. Much inconvenience for most of us, but huge loss for many whose homes and businesses have been inundated.

Reason for the thread is my utter disgust that Premier Anna Bligh, as a result of huge public pressure via the media, actually dragged herself back from holiday to swan about in a chopper today and declare open the "Flood Appeal", magnificently begun by the massive donation of the government of a whole $1 million!!!

How obscenely disgusting. This paltry sum is probably less than is being spent with the fireworks in Brisbane on New Year's Eve.

No wonder she has an approval rating of about 27%.
It wouldn't even be that much if the opposition had anything to recommend them.

 

[sails]

Julia, I am just as disgusted hearing this on the news. What a slap in the face. And then looking for donations from already burdened tax payers...grrr

Have also heard that Ms Gillard has donated another million (hearsay only at this stage) - and yet Rudd is throwing billions of Aussie tax payers dollars around for overseas aid. I would imagine if this same disaster had happened anywhere else in the world, Rudd would have been pledging millions - not just one.

What's wrong with labor government these days. We've had labor in government before and I can't remember such unbelievable incompentence...

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Agree , any start up relief programme will need for than $2m.

More like $20m minimum.

gg

 

[Smurf1976]

Let's just hope that everyone is OK. Buildings can be fixed, lives can not.

As for governments, to be honest I really don't think it matters who is in power these days. Labor will do what they have just done. Liberal will mutter something about budgets and the market. Greens will blame a coal-fired power station somewhere for causing the disaster in the first place.

It's an unfortunate situation we have in this country with basically nowhere immune to floods and/or fires from time to time. We can't stop huge rainfalls in Qld extreme heat in Vic / SA but we need to be better prepared to respond when it happens.

It's not as though there hasn't been huge damage and loss of life due to previous fires in Vic, Tas, SA etc and it's not as though Brisbane itself hasn't been flooded in the past. We know it will happen sooner or later, so we need to be prepared for when it does.

I'm not overly keen on big government, but rather than throwing my taxes away on all sorts of nonsense I'd like to see a national plan to cope with these events and for it to be properly resourced. Taking fires as an example, we're not likely to have the whole country burn to the ground in a single day so there's an obvious opportunity to share the more expensive equipment (such as those big water bombing helicopters) around between states. It might cost a bit, but it's one area of government spending that I doubt anyone would object to paying for.

 

[sails]

Flood victims to get $1m federal funding

THE federal government will match Queensland's $1 million donation to a fund to help victims of the floods devastating the state.

Wouldn't that amount only build a couple of tuckshops?...

So it's OK to waste billions on BER but too much to ask for the flood victims. Oh that's right, just ask the public (who are already burdened with climbing electricity costs, mortgage payments and the thread of carbon taxes) to look after them.

So would Gillard & Rudd rather be seen big noting themselves throwing millions around in overseas aid?

It appears they have nothing left in the kitty to look after our own affairs.

 

[Logique]

Neither floods nor bushfires are comprehensible to metropolitan Australia. Labor, without the benefit of the Nats in coalition, are clueless.

No money left anyway, all tied up in middle class welfare. Look for a 'working families' flood bonus. So much per child probably.

 

[breaker]

please read asylum immigrants thread

I live in Clermont [google it]

 

[Julia]

please read asylum immigrants thread

I live in Clermont [google it]

That's a bit cryptic, breaker.
How about just making a clear message?

Another suggestion I've heard is that the army should be called in to help in situations like this, rather than everything being left up to the overworked, voluntary people in the SES.

As with Sails' point about our governments being only too ready to remit massive aid overseas, they will also deploy our forces to assist, so perhaps applying both these resources a bit more generously at home would be useful.

Still can't get over the ****** one million dollars.
God, Anna, you probably have a clothing allowance of about that much.

 

[Smurf1976]

An interesting list here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disasters_in_Australia_by_death_toll

Looking just at bushfires alone (not including building fires, underground mine fires etc) it seems that there have been 6 fires which each killed more than 50 people within the past 71 years.

2009, Victoria, 173 deaths
1983, Victoria and SA, 75 deaths
1939, Victoria, 71 deaths
1967, Tasmania (Hobart area), 62 deaths
1926, Victoria, 60 deaths
1943-44, Victoria, 51 deaths

Then add in the floods (only those resulting in more than 20 deaths shown here):

1852, NSW, 89 deaths
1916, Queensland, 65 deaths
1934, Victoria (Melbourne), 35 deaths
1955, NSW, 25 deaths
1929, Tasmania, 22 deaths

Then add in the cyclones and all sorts of other disasters as well as those which fortuntely didn't actually kill anyone. THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN so we need to be properly prepared for when it does.

 

[Ruby]

Reason for the thread is my utter disgust that Premier Anna Bligh, as a result of huge public pressure via the media, actually dragged herself back from holiday to swan about in a chopper today and declare open the "Flood Appeal", magnificently begun by the massive donation of the government of a whole $1 million!!!

How obscenely disgusting. This paltry sum is probably less than is being spent with the fireworks in Brisbane on New Year's Eve.

No wonder she has an approval rating of about 27%.
It wouldn't even be that much if the opposition had anything to recommend them.

She disgusts me so much I don't like to get started. She seems to be more concerned with her public image than anything else!

Neither floods nor bushfires are comprehensible to metropolitan Australia.......

Not so, Logique......... I remember the horror of the 1974 floods in Brisbane when people had to be rescued of the roofs of their highset houses and food and medical supplies had to be airlifted into Jindalee......... when houses were knocked down like dominoes as the river broke its banks........and there was the very real threat of a large ship, broken from its moorings, being jammed across the Brisbane River, creating a dam. It was a horrific time, but also a time when Brisbane people really pulled together.

 

[Logique]

...Not so, Logique.... I remember the horror of the 1974 floods in Brisbane when people had to be rescued of the roofs of their highset houses....there was the very real threat of a large ship, broken from its moorings, being jammed across the Brisbane River, creating a dam. It was a horrific time, but also a time when Brisbane people really pulled together.

Now that is a flood Ruby! You caught me out, too wide the generalization in making the point.

Happy New Year to you. I hope my state is sending up some assistance to the flooded QLD'ers. Some floods of our own down here. Kyogle in northern NSW has been declared a disaster zone this week.

 

[Calliope]

It was a horrific time, but also a time when Brisbane people really pulled together.

Although our house went under, what I remember most is the wonderful community spirit. It overshadowed any hardships and made it a great time to be alive. One small thing I have not forgotten is that Sunbeam offered to repair for free any of their appliances that had water damage. Many other firms followed suit.

My employer (Telecom) sent out so many people to help us clean up that they got in the way.

I was one of the lucky ones. I had a War Service home and it was fully insured for flood damage. Most of my neighbors were not insured. People did not insure for "once in a 100 year" events.

Donations to the appeal from interstate were magnificent. I was glad to be able to reciprocate when Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin on Xmas day in the same year.

 

[Iggy_Pop]

Rockhampton is still continuing to function, though bottled water milk and bread is nearly impossible to buy. Everyone is doing a run on the petrol stations as there will not be any more tankers coming in for at least a week. Celebrations are still planned and happening in the city for New Years Eve. Amazing the town of Theodore has been totally evacuated and low lying areas of Rockhampton will be evacuated. There definitely has been some learnings after the last Victorian bushfires, as the evacuations are not optional. At this stage this floods will rank as one of the biggest in Rockhampton.

 

[Smurf1976]

Now that is a flood Ruby! You caught me out, too wide the generalization in making the point.

Likewise the fires that destroyed much of the area to the south of Hobart and killed 62 people in 1967 and the various smaller fires in the suburbs over the years since then.

It's really only in the centre of Sydney or Melbourne that you are really safe from such events. But then you're at risk of other problems...

 

[Ruby]

Now that is a flood Ruby! You caught me out, too wide the generalization in making the point.

Happy New Year to you. I hope my state is sending up some assistance to the flooded QLD'ers. Some floods of our own down here. Kyogle in northern NSW has been declared a disaster zone this week.

Thanks Logique..... and Happy New Year to you too.

 

[noco]

When nearby countries have disasters, our Government can't there quick enough to lend a hand, MONEY ARMY,HELICOPTERS you name it. To date I have not heard of any of those countries offering aid to Queenslanders. Would it be possible to have even a token of support from Indonesia, Pakistan, New Guinea, Soloman Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. I may be wrong or have missed the news, but I have not heard of one country offering a hand.
Instead of giving $599 million to Climate change Alarmist and the Greens at Cancun Mexico, how about we ask Mr.Combet to divert that money to Queensland. NOT BLOODY LIKELY. The Labor State and Federal Governments give a lousy $1 million each. BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHAME ON THEM.

 

[roland]

When nearby countries have disasters, our Government can't there quick enough to lend a hand, MONEY ARMY,HELICOPTERS you name it. To date I have not heard of any of those countries offering aid to Queenslanders. Would it be possible to have even a token of support from Indonesia, Pakistan, New Guinea, Soloman Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. I may be wrong or have missed the news, but I have not heard of one country offering a hand.
Instead of giving $599 million to Climate change Alarmist and the Greens at Cancun Mexico, how about we ask Mr.Combet to divert that money to Queensland. NOT BLOODY LIKELY. The Labor State and Federal Governments give a lousy $1 million each. BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHAME ON THEM.

We have had the Yank Firefighters here before, albeit with some controversy over the rewards:

Dozens of professional firefighters from the United States, Canada and New Zealand have bolstered the attack against Victoria’s bushfires since they erupted almost two months ago. The leaked document, from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and Country Fire Authority (CFA) to members of the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC), shows these firefighters are being paid $600 a day, on top of having their flights and accommodation paid for.

from: http://on-walkabout.com/2007/01/23/are-american-fire-fighters-wanted-in-australia/

 

[Julia]

When nearby countries have disasters, our Government can't there quick enough to lend a hand, MONEY ARMY,HELICOPTERS you name it. To date I have not heard of any of those countries offering aid to Queenslanders. Would it be possible to have even a token of support from Indonesia, Pakistan, New Guinea, Soloman Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. I may be wrong or have missed the news, but I have not heard of one country offering a hand.
Instead of giving $599 million to Climate change Alarmist and the Greens at Cancun Mexico, how about we ask Mr.Combet to divert that money to Queensland. NOT BLOODY LIKELY. The Labor State and Federal Governments give a lousy $1 million each. BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHAME ON THEM.

On the surface, I completely agree. But it's up to the media what we know about.
I suppose it's quite possible that any of the above nations may have offered help and it has been on a government to government basis, and we've just not heard about it.

For that matter, I've not heard of any other State offering assistance to Queensland.
Even if this is just to contribute empathy and solidarity at such a dreadful time, it would be nice to hear that other State premiers have offered any possible assistance.

Still waiting for the federal government to get the army into action instead of depending entirely on the volunteers in the SES and the charities like Red Cross to offer assistance.

What the hell do we pay our taxes for if it's not to receive federal and state assistance in times of acute disaster.

Absolute sympathy to all those whose homes are only visible by their rooftops. Must be just so shattering.

 

[Tightwad]

I've never been a Bligh fan.. since she made some disparaging comments about SA.. not that I can remember what they were now.

...mumbles something about orange growers pulling out their trees while qld is growing rice...

 

[Calliope]

How obscenely disgusting. This paltry sum is probably less than is being spent with the fireworks in Brisbane on New Year's Eve.

The good burghers of Brisbane, in order to show solidarity with their country cousins and to show they can feel the hurt too, have decided to forgo the fireworks extravaganza on the river tonight. The money saved will be donated to the flood appeal. There is no doubt they will face severe withdrawal symptoms, especially the children, but Anna Bligh said it is a time for tough decisions. The Lord Mayor agrees.

The unused fireworks will be dumped in the bay to provide a safe haven for the yellow bellied sea toad which is in danger of extinction.