Queensland Floods

[Scotty]

Spent most of the day in Oxley yesterday. A street called Logan Street. Most of these houses are two storey and went under to halfway up their second level. This street was the worst I have seen, however there were at least twice as many volunteers around Saturday than Friday, and I understand today was similar. It took almost 2 hours for me to get from home to Oxley, normally a 20minute trip. Combination of a lot of people heading to the western suburbs and road closures.

A lot of houses in Oxley are built in the 60s and 70s and therefore a lot of AC (Asbestos Cement) linings. I hope these don't cause any problems for well meaning helpers down the track.

Unfortunately my reconstructed knee blew up on friday and got worse saturday so couldn't get out there and help with rubbish removal today, but the spirit of the people in this city has been amazing, and it is truly touching to see how everyone has gotten together for the common cause. An estimated 50,000 volunteers was talked about on the news today, but I would guess it is closer to 5-6 for every house in Brisbane and Ipswich, which would make it closer to 100,000.

 

[RugbyReg]

Reg,

If you (or anyone else for that matter) need any structural items on the house assessed please feel free to PM me to arrange an inspection. I am a partner in a structural engineering firm that specialises in domestic structures and we are happy to give advice to anyone that requires it.

cheers mate. Thats a wonderful offer. Will let you know if I need it. I think we might be right.

I mowed our lawn today! Its the little things at the moment.

Looking forward to tomorrow. The army are coming through to take all the piles of rubbish away.

Now to just get power back...

 

[Scotty]

Article on Gillard's lack of emotion during the crisis.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...less-performance/story-e6frgd0x-1225988984426

 

[DPK]

Article on Gillard's lack of emotion during the crisis.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...less-performance/story-e6frgd0x-1225988984426

This goes along with some thoughts I was having. Would people prefer it that Gillard went to Queensland and showed some emotion or stayed in Canberra to coordinate the relief? I'd much rather a strong leader who fixes problems rather than sheds tears and gives speeches capturing the mood of the disaster affected people.

 

[Scotty]

I'd like to see both. Newman and Bligh have provided this. Gillard looked like a robot or puppet in her responses. How is it possible not to show any real emotion when viewing this devastation?

Newman has been particularly impressive in his management of the crisis and subsequent clean up. He has predicted just about everything that has happened - the event itself, the need for volunteers over weeks not days, the safety requirements - almost everything that could be done by him has been done.

However the real test of Bligh and Newman is what they do next. Do they listen to the scientists and engineers and change the planning and building requirements, or just stick their heads in the sand?

Some scientific views in the link below:

http://www.aussmc.org/2011/01/rapid-roundup-queensland-flood-crisis-–-experts-respond/

 

[Bowside]

I'd like to see both. Newman and Bligh have provided this. Gillard looked like a robot or puppet in her responses. How is it possible not to show any real emotion when viewing this devastation?

Newman has been particularly impressive in his management of the crisis and subsequent clean up. He has predicted just about everything that has happened - the event itself, the need for volunteers over weeks not days, the safety requirements - almost everything that could be done by him has been done.

However the real test of Bligh and Newman is what they do next. Do they listen to the scientists and engineers and change the planning and building requirements, or just stick their heads in the sand?

Some scientific views in the link below:

http://www.aussmc.org/2011/01/rapid-roundup-queensland-flood-crisis-–-experts-respond/

It is somewhat understandable that Gillard is not as involved as blight and can-do, as this is a state and council issue and the federal government is just providing support.

I agree about the real test of Blight and Can-do, they have previously both support different bits of development which if they had of gone ahead would have proven disastrous during the flood crisis. I am of course referring to the north bank proposal and the Rocklea bus depo.

 

[Scotty]

It is somewhat understandable that Gillard is not as involved as blight and can-do, as this is a state and council issue and the federal government is just providing support.

I agree about the real test of Blight and Can-do, they have previously both support different bits of development which if they had of gone ahead would have proven a disaster during the flood crisis. I am of course referring to the north bank proposal and the Rocklea bus depo.

Yeah, of course. Queensland isn't part of Australia, so why would Gillard care?

You must be joking.

 

[Bowside]

Yeah, of course. Queensland isn't part of Australia, so why would Gillard care?

You must be joking.

Thats not what I meant. Of Course she bloody cares.

Blight and Newman are running the clean up, Gillard is just there to provide support. It is not her job to be as involved (provide updates and the like), that its for Bligh and Newman to do.

For the record I think she has been a bit emotionless, but I don't think all the criticism you level at her is fair. I also don't think this should be turned into a political thing. Maybe in a week we can talk politics, but when you have news corp critisising our leaders a couple of days after a crisis it is not at all helpful to the recovery.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Just as unhelpful is the commentary about how the politician in question has enhanced or decreased their chances of re-election, based on their performance during an event such as this.

 

[Scotty]

My viewpoint on Gillard isn't political in this case. I was disgusted and distraught at her robot like performance, spitting out catch phrases and generally wasting time when Bligh and high level public servants wanted to get on with the job. All she had to do was turn up and say 'We will provide any support required to the Qld government at their time of need, and our hearts and thoughts are with all flood victims at this difficult time'. Simple. Effective. No need to dribble on and offer nothing real. No need to look like she was in an election campaign and making the hand gestures normally reserved for a US presidential candidate.

I was embarrassed to have this person as our priminster, and am surprised that others on this site don't feel the same way (because I know several that I have spoken to that do). It seems to me that those that are defending her are doing so due to politics, not the facts and the evidence.

I can't see how I can be accused of turning this political when I am praising Bligh and Newman, who are from opposite sides of politics.

 

[Scotty]

For the record I think she has been a bit emotionless, but I don't think all the criticism you level at her is fair. I also don't think this should be turned into a political thing. Maybe in a week we can talk politics, but when you have news corp critisising our leaders a couple of days after a crisis it is not at all helpful to the recovery.

But this is somehow helpful?

It is somewhat understandable that Gillard is not as involved as blight and can-do, as this is a state and council issue and the federal government is just providing support.

 

[Elfster]

This is quite interesting, and gives an idea of what happened.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/qld-floods/beforeafter.htm

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Those photos are just stunning (not as in beautiful) Elfster.

 

[Sully]

why do we need derogatory names for our politicians?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Because a lot of the time they are deserving of them

 

[chief]

Personally, my political views aside. Newman and Bligh were and should have been the runners of the public relations side of things. Gillard was there as an act to show that Federal politics was there.

Gillard always speaks like that, she can't help it. Get over it, we have a PM who like many before her appear to be emotionless. She probably felt bad for the QLD'ers who were affected but she can't change her face for it to please the public. She probably felt sad, but Gillard is a pretty strong woman, calling her heartless like many others have said and that are embarrassed to have her as our PM is not going to help. Chances are a lot of QLD'ers are embarrassed to have her as our PM especially after the election. People were embarrassed to have Howard, people were embarrassed to have a lot of other PM's. Seriously my view is get over it.

Elfster those pictures are as The Brown Hornet summed up are completely stunning.

 

[Rob42]

I don't know Gillard personally, but I've heard from several journalists at different times that in person, she's very animated and personable, but just seems to freeze up in front of the cameras. I wondered if perhaps she'd taken the opportunity of her expected Christmas holiday to get some Botox done? That's an incredibly smooth forehead she has.

Others may think that the visits to evacuation centres, etc, are all photo-op, but the people involved generally do appreciate those sort of visits. It's all the PM can do, since as others have said, the response is almost all state and council responsibilities.

 

[Scotty]

Personally, my political views aside. Newman and Bligh were and should have been the runners of the public relations side of things. Gillard was there as an act to show that Federal politics was there.

Gillard always speaks like that, she can't help it. Get over it, we have a PM who like many before her appear to be emotionless. She probably felt bad for the QLD'ers who were affected but she can't change her face for it to please the public. She probably felt sad, but Gillard is a pretty strong woman, calling her heartless like many others have said and that are embarrassed to have her as our PM is not going to help. Chances are a lot of QLD'ers are embarrassed to have her as our PM especially after the election. People were embarrassed to have Howard, people were embarrassed to have a lot of other PM's. Seriously my view is get over it.

You react pretty strongly to my view, and don't at all attempt to address the vast majority of my post for someone that has set his political views aside.

 

[chief]

You react pretty strongly to my view, and don't at all attempt to address the vast majority of my post for someone that has set his political views aside.

I'm not necessarily replying to your post, Gillard has copped a lot of flak for her role in the floods from journo's from both News Ltd, and Fairfax. Besides as I appreciate that a lot of politics is acting, Gillard doesn't and shouldn't be recieving "how to show emotion" classes.

 

[Scotty]

She shouldn't need to have 'how to show emotion' classes.

Anyway on another political note, it is interesting to note that Brisbane's most famous mayor, Clem Jones, was the one in charge during the 74 floods. He was also the one that helped develop the town plan, and continued to remain mayor for over a year after the floods. I wonder if his image will be tarnished now that it has been proven that it can flood again in these same areas as 74. It was particularly stupid that houses were allowed to be built in the flood zone between 74 and 85 (when Wivenhoe was completed). Did anyone in the council actually question the intelligence of this decision and the validity of the town plan?

PS At least partially you clearly were replying to my post.