Ozzie Floods

[WKB]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

Greg (HSV 300) lives at Withcott below Toowoomba and hasn't been so lucky.

Anyone who lives in Withcott, Murphy's Creek or Grantham are lucky just to be alive.


Warren

[boxhead]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

Greg (HSV 300) lives at Withcott below Toowoomba and hasn't been so lucky.

Doesnt sound good.
Hope all people are well and ok, and all items can be replaced under insurance.
But it is the personal stuff that makes it hard.

Thoughts are with you Greg.

[Baz]

We are thinking of you guys up north and pray that everything works out.

Being an ex-cop with extensive experience in Disaster Recovery, my thoughts go out to all the families who have lost loved ones.

One positive that has come out of this besides the fighting Queensland spirit, is my opinion of your State's Premier Anna Blyth. Prior to the floods, I thought about as much of her as I did of our NSW Premier and the Prime Minister. I couldn't stand any of them. To Premier Blyth's credit her performance over the past week or so has extensively lifted her profile in my eyes.

I am used to working with big mouthed politicians who float around in emergent situations, shaking hands, hugging people and kissing children, besides getting in the way of those that are doing the real work at the coal-face.

Premier Blyth has stood this test and came through with flying colours. Congratulations Anna. You are making the big and correct decisions, but at the same time, keeping out of the way and letting those persons trained in Emergency Management get on with their jobs. She displays all the traits of true leadership and is a person that all Queenslanders can be proud of. This is why you guys will come through this and be a much closer community as a result.


Baz

[Merv and Sharon]

I tend to agree Baz. Anna Bligh has shown a completely different side during this crisis. One that was involved, understanding what communities are going through and leading from the front. I think a lot of people have seen a different person from the one the media dish up. Most of the pollies have visited and were largely non-political, except for one who keep rabbiting on about the "surplus" amid the crisis. Did no credit to himself when he did turn up.

The Emergency Services people and the volunteers have been brilliant.

[Donunder]

Originally Posted by Baz

Premier Blyth has stood this test and came through with flying colours. Congratulations Anna. You are making the big and correct decisions, but at the same time, keeping out of the way and letting those persons trained in Emergency Management get on with their jobs.
Baz

Let's hope that when the photo ops of the crisis have begun to fade away, Anna Bligh continues to stay out of the way of people like Major General Mick Slater who has been drafted to oversee all phases of the recovery and reconstruction programme. This guy sounds like the real deal and it is to be hoped he has the strength and support to withstand any political white-anting of his position when the really tough decisions concerning deployment of resources and funding have to be made.

His job has to be free of pressure from both sides of politics, as well as interference from any of the competing interest groups. Time will tell if he's a paper tiger, or someone in the mould of the late and great Clem Jones who was appointed to rebuild Darwin after it was smashed to pieces by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day in 1974. That he did so by famously cutting through all levels of red tape and standing on not a few toes and bruising the egos of many a local politician and bureaucrat, has become the stuff of legend.

Times have changed and we may never see the likes of Clem Jones again, but I hope that Mick Slater has the guts to keep Clem's spirit alive in the forthcoming years, for Queensland's sake.

[Rebel1]

Sadly, Her political career may well be saved by the public perception of her capabilities during this crisis.

However, she admitted it herself ... "She is standing on the shoulders of Giants"

All of those unsung giants are doing what they know best. Stepping up to the plate and getting things done. She is looking good because it would be political suicide to deny these giants what they need to get the job done.

[Rebel1]

Originally Posted by Donunder

Let's hope that when the photo ops of the crisis have begun to fade away, Anna Bligh continues to stay out of the way of people like Major General Mick Slater who has been drafted to oversee all phases of the recovery and reconstruction programme. This guy sounds like the real deal and it is to be hoped he has the strength and support to withstand any political white-anting of his position when the really tough decisions concerning deployment of resources and funding have to be made.

His job has to be free of pressure from both sides of politics, as well as interference from any of the competing interest groups. Time will tell if he's a paper tiger, or someone in the mould of the late and great Clem Jones who was appointed to rebuild Darwin after it was smashed to pieces by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day in 1974. That he did so by famously cutting through all levels of red tape and standing on not a few toes and bruising the egos of many a local politician and bureaucrat, has become the stuff of legend.

Times have changed and we may never see the likes of Clem Jones again, but I hope that Mick Slater has the guts to keep Clem's spirit alive in the forthcoming years, for Queensland's sake.

Totally agree Donunder. I hope the Major General has that fire and I suspect he does. He has a quiet confidence that I suspect could turn very toxic to any-one standing in his way.

[HSVREDSLED]

Originally Posted by Baz

We are thinking of you guys up north and pray that everything works out.

Being an ex-cop with extensive experience in Disaster Recovery, my thoughts go out to all the families who have lost loved ones.

One positive that has come out of this besides the fighting Queensland spirit, is my opinion of your State's Premier Anna Blyth. Prior to the floods, I thought about as much of her as I did of our NSW Premier and the Prime Minister. I couldn't stand any of them. To Premier Blyth's credit her performance over the past week or so has extensively lifted her profile in my eyes.

I am used to working with big mouthed politicians who float around in emergent situations, shaking hands, hugging people and kissing children, besides getting in the way of those that are doing the real work at the coal-face.

Premier Blyth has stood this test and came through with flying colours. Congratulations Anna. You are making the big and correct decisions, but at the same time, keeping out of the way and letting those persons trained in Emergency Management get on with their jobs. She displays all the traits of true leadership and is a person that all Queenslanders can be proud of. This is why you guys will come through this and be a much closer community as a result.


Baz

My thoughts exactly. In crisis, people want to be led. Its better for a leader to lead and make a few poor decisions, than a leader to run and not lead at all.

I compare Christine Nixons performance during the Vic Bushfires to Anna Blighs during the floods.

Similar Mayor Guiliano's leadership during Sep 11. True leaders stand out regardless of political influence.

[Merv and Sharon]

I knew Clem Jones through cricket and he was the genuine article. On the other hand, Clem did not have today's media and public to deal with. I watched the PM answer questions at a press conference about the floods and the first 2 questions were about the potential impact of the flood crisis on the mythical "surplus". She politely deflected them, but I she should have ignored them in Thatcher style and said, " Thank you - now are there any questions about the floods and the communities affected?"

The media tend to 'create' our political images these days, as Tony Abbott found when walking into a flood devastated house and family on the Darling Downs and finding no answer to his hale "Hello?", as they were all out the back cleaning mud. The 'clip showed him then responding, "Sorry, have I come at a bad time?" The next day we saw Julie Bishop as his replacement.

In general, however, our media have been pretty good though this crisis and really focussed on real people and their struggles and good news where they could.

[hsv300]

Well we finally got back to Withcott today our house is ok carpets thats about it, The shed still looks ok just not where it was last time we were here so its a right off. Up towards the highway total destruction there were at lest 100 people cleaning and removing mud and furniture from there houses cars inside houses just terrible. From what we have seen there are a lot of places further down stream (Helidon, Grantham) that are worse off than us just concrete slabs left nothing else.

I just hope these smaller towns don't get forgotten with all the flooding in Brisbane.

Greg

[750hp]

Greg, I think it's safe to say that the images we saw from up your way will be forever etched in our memories. Glad to hear that you still had a place to go home to.

[Merv and Sharon]

Best wishes Greg. At least your family is OK and you did get your parents home to Bribie. It was a chaotic time. As I said if you need any help or gear, just let us know.

[hsv300]

Withcott photos this is on the highway with pub in background.

[Towmaster]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/infograph...eforeafter.htm

Click on this link for before and after photos of flooded Brisbane suburbs....

Shocking!

[PCC]

Greg,

Prior to the devastation of last week I did see a clip the previous week of a torrent running through Withcott along side the highway seriously impacting upon the shops on the opposite side of the Pub.

When I saw that particular clip I thought what the hell, but after it's inital showing little was said in the Media.

After experiencing this first torrent did the locals think that was it or were they expected more of the same?

Hard to believe that your Town would have been unindated given its location at the bottom of the range.

We had some friends in Toowoomba who's car was re-arranged by 5 others on top of it (half a mile from where it was initially parked) - only for a towie asking for $400 to remove it!

[hsv300]

Peter,
On the Thursday prior to Monday we did have some water on the highway that did go into a couple of shops and most people thought that was just a one off i think but nothing could prepare them for what happened Monday.
I have live in this area all my life and never seen water like what we had on the Thursday or Monday. The water use to go around the back of the pub but some reason it now wants to go down the highway.
Maybe the development up the road further may changed the way it runs i'm not sure that will be up to the experts to work out.

Greg

[renovationinnov]

greg glad everything at home was salvagable [except hte shed ]
went to quote on a shed that had moved 3 properties away slab /shed /horse float inside,& suprise a horse still a live in there too [ just scared the sh*t out of me when i openned the door
now how do i get the slab & shed to the rightful owner
now how about the looting at murphy's creek if it's not nailed down it's gone [ quote by local copper ]
ROB

[Outwest34au]

"now how do i get the slab & shed to the rightful owner"

Sell it to the bloke that has it in his yard now as a demo model with no charge for delivery. Contents negotiated seperatley with previous owner.