The clean up is going well, many places are completely free of water now and the altruistic nature of the public and especially big business is coming to the fore through many donations of items by large companies to people who have been particularly badly hit.
The local transport systems have been completely free for the last week and a half, which has been an excellent idea as many are still struggling to reach certain areas of the city and as the public transport system is very wide ranging in Brisbane, I believe it has helped thousands out in a time of need.
Being in Victoria over the last few days has allowed me to see another state's appreciation of the floods and it was very generous, incredible scenes of fundraising, lots of examples at the australian open tennis of people willing to give large sums of money (the cynic in me may think that this may have something to do with the social demographic of tennis fans!) and lots of people just giving what they can!
There is a king tide expected tomorrow morning, which is likely to re flood some areas, a hammer blow to some people who have literally just managed to get their homes emptied of water.
The impact of Oprah Winfrey on the floods is the most surprising factor. Oprah came over to Oz a few months ago to film some show and excursions, which are now being shown both here and in the US. These shows have had flood disaster starts to them and segments where Oprah has explained what has happened. QLD premier Anna Bligh reported today that after the first show had been aired in the US, the donations jumped $20 million overnight. The incredible luck and coincidence that airing these shows at this times is having a majpr effect on the image of QLD and the flood donations. It is crazy to think that it has been said that once a book is endorsed by the big O, then it will become a bestseller that week, and the same it can be said is happening with the donations to the flood appeal.
An interesting side note- what would happen if the shows had been about Brazil and Rio, would there be an appeal or the same amount of public donations?Is it fair that Brazil does not have the media outlet that Australia does at the moment, albeit luck in terms of timing?
There is a song by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip that mentions that as much attention should be paid to disasters in non English speaking countries as to those in English speaking countries and there is a case, although the floods here have been awful here, that those in Brazil have killed more people and what truly measures the scale of a disaster, financial cost or loss of life?
The clean up in Brisbane continues and unfortunately, the Lockyer valley is expecting yet more flash flooding in an area that was devastated by the floods and my thoughts are with the people whose homes are still there and those that have been forced to move away. All the best guys!
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