It is with great sadness that I witness the devastation caused by the floods in Queensland. Approximately 75% of the state has been declared a disaster zone. We have seen the floods first hit the mid-coast towns of Rockhampton, Emerald, Chinchila and Bundaberg, as well as the western ranges towns near Dalby and further west. More recently Gympie has been hit by flood waters. Now Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane City have also now been inundated.
Premier Anna Bligh describes the situation as being in a war zone. The clean up needed over the next weeks and months will be "post war" in scale.
Out hearts go out to family and friends that have tragically lost loved ones. Property and possessions can be replaced. Our loved ones cannot.
It has been heartening to see how individuals and the wider communities have come together to help those in need. The clean up will require the continuation of this help from individuals and community groups.
The State Government has asked those interested in volunteering their time to help in the clean up to register with http://www.volunteeringqld.org.au/home/. to create an organised and effective volunteering effort.
For those wanting a positive note on the floods, Michael Matusik's (http://www.matusik.com.au/) comments below are worth considering:
Matusik Missive Extra – Mud and guts
12th January 2011
The Queensland flood has sadly led to tragedy, with the loss of several lives and billions of dollars in property damage. I debated with myself, especially given the awful events in Toowoomba, whether to comment, but too much of the coverage, especially concerning the economy, is overly negative.
These floods, catastrophic as they are, can ultimately have some positive results, setting up not only Queensland, but much of Australia, for an economic boom in the years to come. This, perhaps, is the circuit breaker that has been missing - this year’s probable factor X and a key ingredient to restore long term confidence. We have been waiting for a GFC-induced Armageddon, which hasn’t arrived; but instead of getting on with our lives, many of us still have our fists clenched ready to fight something, anything - even shadows. But now a fight has arrived, and after it all settles down, the rebound is likely to be very strong.
The stoic nature of those directly involved heightens one’s pride is being Australian and is resonating around the country and overseas. These images, which are being beamed around the globe, will have more impact than any artsy jingle or smart-arse tourism one liner. Even the big-O’s recent visit cannot top this. Mark my word, tourism down under will improve once this calms down; and not by those who want to gawk at the damage but because people travel to places with character. This event, and the way those affected are handling it, reinforces our image overseas – tough, can-do, stoic, mateship and a land of extremes.
Yes, the short-term economic negative impacts will be high but there is also a sliver lining. Flood assistance is costly, but it is generally a one-off, upfront expense. Whilst inflationary, the good news is that these floods are unlikely to influence the RBA’s thinking on interest rates.
Global demand for coal remains strong, contract prices are on the rise and once the Queensland mines are pumped dry and the coal is loaded onto ships, it will be worth more, helping to offset any losses. Similar factors are at play for the farming sector. Yes the floods have destroyed crops, but also increased soil moisture for the future.
To a large extent, the effect of the floods on the economy is a timing issue, slowing down growth now, but adding to it once rebuilding efforts are underway.
Sadly, it is breaking our hearts, but not our will.
Michael Matusik
1 comment:
I believe that there is a very positive future for our state. We now know (or has been reinforced) how much people do care & we can work together.
The LIFE reset button has been pushed & I personally look forward to a bigger & brighter future for all Aussies especially QLDer's.
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