Whatever you do, don’t mention the D word. That explains this nervous talk, or non talk, around whether the projected Budget surplus should be abandoned to “pay for” the cost of recovering from the floods.
Floods
Crikey Says: The D word
Floods around the world
The Queensland and Victorian floods dominated local media this week, and rightly so. However, other nations, including Sri Lanka, Brazil and South Africa, are also suffering severe flooding, although their governments may not be as equipped to cope with the devastation, reports Amber Jamieson.
‘I don’t think we’ll be getting home tonight’: a tale from Toowoomba
Toowoomba resident Jim Forbes left his wife and four-year-old daughter to head in to work in Brisbane on Monday, leaving just before the floods hit his family and his hometown.
Qld floods compare and contrast: “…back in ’74″
During this morning’s press conference Queensland Premier Anna Bligh continued to evoke Queensland’s devastating floods of 1974 to give Queenslanders, especially those in Ipswich and Brisbane today, an indication of what lay ahead.
Crikey Says: Bligh steps up
Sometimes leaders are afforded an opportunity to step up. We are witnessing Queensland Premier Anna Bligh doing just that.
Crikey Says: A very grim day
“This is going to be I think a very grim day,” said Premier Anna Bligh during this morning’s press conference.
‘Situation continues to deteriorate’: QLD floods
The death of four-year-old boy swept into the floods at Marburg during a rescue attempt of his family takes the latest flood death toll to ten, announced Premier Anna Bligh.
Rockhampton flood crisis: attack of the blood suckers
It’s not the saltwater crocs or the deadly brown snakes that are the most troublesome wildlife in flooded Queensland. It’s the sandflies, tiny insects that leave itchy bites that last for weeks. And the supermarket is sold out of insect repellent, says Anton Lang from Rockhampton.
Rockhampton flood crisis: flood peak arrives
After the expected flood peak of 9.4 metres in Rockhampton, a maximum of 9.2 was hit yesterday. Anton Lang took his camera and walked around his flood-affected city, snapping photos of submerged roads and ducks swimming through football fields.
Rockhampton flood crisis: playing the waiting game
The worst case scenario brings the edge of the water level to within 500 metres of our home, and at those edges, it’s just a matter of an inch or so deep, at the very creeping edge of this massive flood, writes Tony from Oz in Rockhampton.
Over 1,300 dead in Pakistan flooding
Monsoon floods in Pakistan have claimed the lives of over 1,000 people, with more disastrous rain expected in the week ahead and tens of thousands stranded. One of the worst hit areas is the Swat Valley, previously a Taliban stronghold.
Letter from...: The Phillippines
The recent history of the Philippines reads like a catalogue of Hollywood blockbuster disaster movies. But locals are so focused on day-to-day survival — getting enough food for tomorrow — that the relative unlikelihood of a tsunami makes it not worth considering, writes resident Wayne Smith.
Swimming for survival: it’s our duty to teach
As stories emerge of people being swept away by floodwaters, it’s a source of frustration that there are very few large-scale survival swimming or lifesaving programs running in Asia and the Pacific, where these skills could literally be saving lives, writes Justin Scarr.
Once-in-a-century floods, drought and fire. Again.
Cherry-picking extreme weather events weakens your case, but both sides do it shamelessly in the climate debate, writes Frank Campbell.
Silk Road under threat from melting glaciers
The Chinese gateway to the Silk Road is under threat from climate change, suffering dramatic flooding from melting glaciers.
Climate refugees to rise by 50% by 2015
A new Oxfam report says a 50% increase in people affected by climate-related humanitarian disasters by 2015 could overwhelm emergency response and humanitarian aid systems.
Climate emergency in the Pacific
At a time when Queenslanders are inundated with massive flooding, spare a thought for our island neighbours, writes Nic Maclellan.
Neither flood nor fire can stay Shanahan’s delusions
Turnbull’s own proposals for a stimulus package aren’t much shy of the same level of debt, showing just how little difference there is between the major parties on this supposedly vast ideological issue, writes Bernard Keane.
2007 is an expensive year for insurers
The cost of the storms and flooding in Australia and Britain looks set to top $A9 billion over the next few days, making higher rates for motor vehicle, business and home and contents insurance almost certain next year.
Premiums may rise as Oz insurers hit upon hard times
How much have Australia’s two biggest global insurers, QBE and Insurance Australia Group been impacted after the second round of big, expensive floods in Britain in a month?
State of the planet
Floods force many to face climate change reality … Climate change fears even reach Formula One racing … Satellites to combat illegal logging in Pacific … Could climate change herald mass migration in the US?
