What might have been - if only the Wivenhoe Dam engineers and the State Government had acted differently over the Brisbane River flood

Could Crazy Clarks and the rest of  the
Goodna Town Centre have been saved?

Residents of Brisbane and Ipswich are waiting anxiously for lawyers Maurice Blackburn to announce if they are proceeding with a class action over the devastating floods of 11 and 12 January 2011.

For the un-insured and under-insured, this may be the last hope for people to be compensated for their losses.

The Floods Commission has already ruled that Wivenhoe Dam was not managed in accordance with the Dam Operating Manual from 8.00am on Saturday 8 January 2011 and this was the direct cause of unnecessary flooding in suburbs affected by the Brisbane River.

Could this Red Rooster disaster have been avoided?

Not only is this emerging as possibly Australia's largest class action, it may also represent the worst case of government maladministration in Australia since the First Fleet arrived in 1788.

The writer of a weekly online newsletter has already claimed the flood could have been up to 2 metres lower at the Brisbane City gauge had it been better managed.

The 2011 flood was officially 4.46 metres AHD (Australian Height Datum) at the Brisbane City gauge in the heart of Brisbane.

Did this have to happen to McDonald's Goodna store?

At Goodna, it was 16.4 metres AHD.  The further you go upstream, the higher the flood.

In the massive 1893 flood, the flood height in the heart of Brisbane was 8.35 metres while at Goodna it was a staggering 22.77 metres.  These figures highlight the dramatic upstream effect of Brisbane River flooding compared with flood levels in the Brisbane CBD.

If the 2011 flood was not negligently managed and a 2 metre lower flood in the Brisbane CBD could have been achieved, the flood level would have been even more dramatic at Goodna - maybe even a three-fold decrease over that in the Brisbane CBD.

Did the people of Goodna have to
suffer this catastrophe?

If this is the case, former Premier Anna Bligh and Minister Stephen Robertson would have a lot to answer for and should be held personally liable if they can be shown to have acted negligently.

Is Anna Bligh personally
resposnible for this mess?

How many properties in Ipswich, Goodna or Brisbane might have been saved?

Where was Stephen Roberston
during the flood crisis?  Could he
have directed the Wivenhoe Dam
engineers to change their flawed strategy?

The truth will eventually come out - and then all hell will break loose.

7.12.12

Maurice Blackburn Brisbane River flood class action decision looms

"The truth is that the dam engineers and Seqwater
saw it as more important to save a few cattle
 and a couple of  low-level bridges around
Fernvale than tens of thousands of
 homes in the  cities of Ipswich
and Brisbane."

A decision on whether or not a class action will proceed over the disastrous 2011 Brisbane River flood could be days away.

Lawyers Maurice Blackburn have been working in conjunction with litigant funder IMF (Australia) for over 18 months to prepare new Brisbane River flood modelling.

They have engaged world engineering and hydrology experts to prepare their case which is likely to be the largest class action in Australian history.

The Floods Commission has already determined that Wivenhoe Dam was not managed in accordance with the Dam Operating Manual from 8:00am on Saturday 8 January 2011 and that had the dam been differently managed, the flooding downstream in the Brisbane River - which affected Ipswich, Goodna and Brisbane - would have been lower.

How much lower is the $64 million question - or will that be the $1.64 BILLION question - for the State Government?

The truth is that the dam engineers and  Seqwater saw it as more important to save a few cattle and a couple of low-level bridges around Fernvale than tens of thousands of homes in the cities of Ipswich and Brisbane.

Based on Maurice Blackburn's unrivalled success in class action across Australia, flood victims would be well-advised to sign up for the pending class action.

Potential claimants would include home and business owners, renters and others who suffered losses as a result of the flood.

Claimants should be careful of doomsday soothsayers who are still peddling advice not to sign up for a class action.

If these malcontents had been on the Titanic in 1912, they would have been telling people not to join the lifeboats because bigger help was coming!

7.12.12

Maurice Blackburn's preparation in Brisbane River flood class action nears end

 

An aerial picture of the city at the height of the flood
which followed the release of water from the Wivenhoe Dam.

A CLASS action against the Queensland Government is firming with Maurice Blackburn solicitors expecting the results of flood modelling back within weeks.

Maurice Blackburn hired US-based dam operators earlier this year to carry out modelling on where floodwater would have reached had the dam been operated correctly during the devastating January 2011 floods.

 Maurice Blackburn principal solicitor Damian Scattini said the indication was that the modelling would give the firm the evidence it needed to file the class action.

 "We are well advanced in the modelling and we have got experts that are answering the question, 'was it operated to the level of a reasonable dam operator?'" he said. "If - and only if - the answer was 'no' to that question, what difference did it make?

 "We are well advanced in both, and the dam was not operated adequately, and it made a significant difference."

The law firm held public meetings around Ipswich earlier this year telling the public of its intention to pursue a case against the State Government.

"We are getting very much closer. There's a huge amount of data, but we are getting closer.

 "We'll certainly have enough information to make a decision one way or the other, but as we get closer the class action is likely."

 It has been rumoured flood victims could stand to receive $200,000 pay outs, but Mr

 Scattini said there was no way on estimating what each individual could receive.

 "It depends very much on what you lost. It's too soon to be saying what they will receive.

 "The aim of this sort of law is to make you whole again as much as money can.

 "We haven't turned our attention to a figure for each person."

 The process has been rigorous with the Maurice Blackburn team spending close to a year collating information.

 "It's been many months. We've been working on this for a year. We were at the inquiry every day. We've lived and breathed this for a long time now, which makes us appreciate the scope of it."

www.QT.com.au

27.11.12
 

Goodna Flood remembered: Church of Christ’s Bellbird chase launched by Ipswich community leaders

Bellbird Chase official launch,
L-R, Ian Robinson
(Coastwide Bobcat Hire),
Jo-Ann Miller MP
(State Member for Bundamba), P
eter Geizer (National Secretary,
Global Care) and Cr Paul Tully
(Ipswich City Council)

Ipswich City Council’s Cr Paul Tully and State MP Jo-Ann Miller recently launched Christian Outreach Centre’s Bellbird Chase real estate development at Bellbird Park, Queensland.

Speaking at a launch ceremony on site in Siffleet Street, Bellbird Park, both leaders praised the work of COC’s natural disaster arm Global Care for its work in the area during last year’s devastating Queensland floods.

Cr Tully had labelled Global Care volunteers in their trademark blue T-shirts “blue angels” when they arrived at his flooded home to help with clean-up.

“I still remember January 2011, and I am still quite emotional. I will never forget looking down the road and seeing a sea of blue marching around the corner almost with military precision.

“They were so cheerful and happy, and they did in 45 minutes what would have taken us two days.

“My wife Lisa and I will remain eternally grateful to Global Care’s ‘blue angels’. I could not speak more highly of them.

“They were angels for the people of Ipswich and Goodna, and they will never be forgotten here.

“I think it is great that the local church is able to provide funding for social welfare through its Bellbird Chase development – it’s a win-win for everyone,” he said.

Jo-Ann Miller MP, the State Member for Bundamba, said Global Care and COC had stepped up to the mark and provided enormous support for the local Ipswich-Goodna community.

“The profits from the Bellbird Chase development will go to the future work of Global Care, and I hope the land will be snapped up.

“It is very good land, and both the land and house-and-land packages are priced very affordably for working families in our community.

“It is also in a very good position, right across from the widely respected Kruger State School, and people can walk to the Kruger Park Shopping Village and a bus stop.

“I am more than happy to lend my support to this wonderful, caring organisation. Everyone is a winner. Let’s hope it is snapped up,” she said.

Bellbird Chase Project Manager Matt Flegler said he believed the Bellbird Chase development offered some of the best value real estate in Australia.

He said: “The potential for property value growth is enormous – this is well-situated, rolling land, surrounded by trees and greenery, and right in the centre of a future boom area with the launch nearby of Ripley Valley, the largest master-planned community project in Queensland.

“House and land packages for a four-bedroom home are around $310,000, which is very good buying.”

http://au.christiantoday.com

 

5.12.12
 

Dam engineer John Ruffini to plead guilty to unlawful Wivenhoe Dam work

Wivenhoe dam engineer John Ruffini will plead
guilty to unlawfully working while unregistered
during Queensland's disastrous 2011 floods.

 A DAM engineer will plead guilty to unlawfully working while unregistered during Queensland's disastrous 2011 floods.

John Lawrence Ruffini, 47, is being prosecuted by the state's Board of Professional Engineers on a charge of "carrying out a professional engineering service when not a registered engineer". Mr Ruffini worked as a flood operations engineer for Brisbane's Wivenhoe dam during the floods crisis in January 2011.

He was charged in September.

During a brief mention in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today, defence lawyer Patrick Murphy said his client planned to plead guilty.

"This matter has now resolved and is a plea," Mr Murphy said.

The plea hearing will take one hour and has been set down for December 12 in the same court.

Mr Ruffini did not appear and the magistrate allowed the engineer to "continue to remain at large".

The operation of the dams during the crisis was a key focus of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry, led by Commissioner Cate Holmes, which found Wivenhoe operators had not escalated their flood mitigation strategy as required by the dam manual.

 

www.TheAustralian.com.au

 

28.11.12

 

COMMENT: It is outrageous and quite unacceptable that Seqwater was employing an unregistered engineer during the height of the 2011 flood crisis.  Doesn't Seqwater check the credentials of its employees?  Putting people's homes and lives at risk with unregistered professional staff is a blight on Seqwater.  Whoever is responsible for this debacle should be given the Royal Order of the Boot out of the organisation.

 

Disaster review process has Ipswich 'at the ready'

Councillor Cheryl Bromage

IPSWICH'S head of infrastructure Councillor Cheryl Bromage says lessons from the 2011 flood and other recent natural disasters highlighted the need for specific disaster management plans for Ipswich's regional communities.

Cr Bromage said the city had never been better prepared for a natural disaster.

"As part of council's review of the Ipswich City Local Disaster Management Plan (LDMP), Local Area Plans will be created for communities that could become isolated from essential goods and services in the event of another flood," Cr Bromage said.

"Now that locations at risk have been identified, the next stage will be to prioritise the development of these plans.

"Evacuation routes and the location of emergency centres will be examined as part of this review."

Cr Bromage said council had been working to ensure the LDMP was user-friendly and aligned with best practice disaster planning principles.

She said the council was not the lead agency for events other than floods, but would work in tandem with other agencies during incidents such as bushfires.

Cr Bromage said the council had been working with the agencies such as the State Emergency Service, the Australian Red Cross and Emergency Management Queensland on these plans.

She said the 2011 flood had highlighted the need for further work to be undertaken in emergency management planning in Ipswich. "We have taken the opportunity to look at issues raised during the flood and further refine our plans for all types of emergencies," she said.

"Events which council has made preparations for include a severe thunderstorm or electrical storm, a critical infrastructure failure, an extreme high temperature event, a hazardous material accident, a major fire and prolonged drought.

"Council is committed to doing everything it can to ensure that adequate plans are in place."

www.QT.com.au

14.11.12

Boost for flood victims as broadband fibre laid in Goodna

Shayne Neumann, Paul Tully, Bernie Ripoll, Paul Rees
and Stephen Conroy laying the first cable of the
national broadband neetwork in Goodna.

MORE than 14,000 homes and businesses across the Western Corridor will have access to the National Broadband Network (NBN) early next year.

Federal Minister for Broadband Stephen Conroy helped install the first fibre on Mair Drive at Goodna last Tuesday.

He announced fibre was also being installed at Gailes, Collingwood Park, Redbank Plains, Augustine Heights and Bellbird Park.

Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully said after suffering in the 2011 floods, Goodna and surrounding suburbs deserved NBN.

"We lost 600 homes in the flood and the decision to commit to the rollout in Goodna is really great for the suburb," he said.

"The NBN rollout is a fantastic boost for the suburb."

Federal Member for Oxley Bernie Ripoll said it was a "truly historical and momentous" occasion, creating many opportunities for the area.

"Not just for local families but also for surrounding schools such as Goodna State School and St Francis Xavier's School who may be able to use technologies like this in the near future," he said.

"The NBN will give Queenslanders access to faster, more reliable broadband at affordable prices, with services starting from as little as $30 a month, with no additional line rental, for a better service.

"High-definition videoconferencing means that kids may be able to take classes that their local school doesn't offer, and people will be able to consult with medical specialists from around the country, without travelling long distances.

"The ability to send and receive big files almost instantly means businesses that previously had to stay in capital cities can set up anywhere, which means opportunities for Queensland and jobs for Queenslanders."

www.TheSatellite.com.au

20.11.12

Brisbane floods inspire new play

29 November 2012,
by Spencer Howson

Left: Claire Stevens and Clark Crystal.
Image by Spencer Howson/612 ABC Brisbane.

A new play opens in Brisbane at the Judith Wright Centre today.

'Flood Country' takes inspiration from both the 1974 and 2011 floods in Brisbane and is performed by a cast of performers who have disabilities.

It tells the story of two estranged siblings who meet again thanks to the mud army.

Clark Crystal is the writer and director of 'Flood Country' and also artistic director of Blue Roo Theatre Company.

And Claire Stevens is one of the performers.

Wivenhoe dam engineer may escape trial



John Ruffini

A DAM engineer who allegedly worked while unregistered during Queensland's disastrous 2011 floods may not face trial.

John Lawrence Ruffini, 47, is being prosecuted by the state's Board of Professional Engineers on a charge of "carrying out a professional engineering service when not a registered engineer". Mr Ruffini worked as a flood operations engineer for Brisbane's Wivenhoe dam during the floods crisis in January 2011.

He was charged in September.

During a brief mention in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today, Magistrate John McGrath was told the parties had been negotiating and had "tentatively" agreed on a schedule of facts.

Mr McGrath agreed to adjourn the case for two weeks, after Mr Ruffini's defence lawyer said the parties were hopeful the matter could be resolved within that time, avoiding a trial.

 Mr Ruffini did not appear and Mr McGrath listed the matter for a mention on November 28 in the same court.

The operation of the dams during the crisis was a key focus of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry, led by Commissioner Cate Holmes, which found Wivenhoe operators had not escalated their flood mitigation strategy as required by the dam manual.

www.TheAustralian.com.au

14.11.12

2011 Flood sequel: Ipswich parents of nine children steal $7000 in flood grants

AN IPSWICH couple ripped off $7000 in emergency flood grants after making a fake claim saying they had been affected.

Taioala and Mina Vaivai, parents of nine children, were spared from the disaster, but made an application to get money from the funds provided to people who had lost everything.

Their application was initially rejected, but the couple refused to give up.

In February last year at Redbank, the couple lodged sworn affidavits saying their house had been flooded and they were desperate.

The father Taioala, 60, received $2000 from the public purse, while wife Mina, 56, was granted $5000.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Adam McDonald said it was "serious high level offending".

"The government allocated money to people who had lost everything," Snr Const McDonald said. "The courts today should and do [consider] this as serious high level offending."

Magistrate Michael Quinn told the couple they should be thoroughly ashamed of taking advantage of other people's tragedy.

"You took advantage of the hardship, stress and trauma others endured when you hadn't suffered in that way," Mr Quinn said.

"You were initially refused, but that didn't deter you as you went on to make false declarations to get paid, which I regard as an aggravating feature.

"You persisted to take advantage of other people's suffering and commit fraud against Queensland people."

Since the fraud the Vaivais have paid back $1200 to the government and could have paid more but were hindered after using the cash for a trip overseas to attend the funeral of a family member.

Taioala was sentenced to three months prison, wholly suspended for 12 months, while Mina was sentenced to six months wholly suspended for 15 months.

Both where ordered to pay the remaining $5800 restitution to the department.

The pair's defence said Mina was dedicated to caring for her children and her sick husband and both were extremely remorseful and ashamed about their actions.

He said Taioala used to be a property officer at Mt Ommaney police station, but was forced to resign after a stroke in 2004.

Neither defendant had any criminal record beforehand.

www.QT.com.au

30.11.12

Pollies demand tough action on Ipswich flood cheats

Human Services minister Kim Carr (left) chats with
Community recovery "Green Army" member
Con Kapoulas, MP Shayne Neumann
and Ipswich Centrelink manager
Tony Pereraat a morning tea to
thank staff for their effort during
the 2011 flood.

FLOOD cheats should be hit with the full force of the law but most Ipswich residents do the right thing.

That was the word from Minister for Human Services Senator Kim Carr and Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann when they visited the Ipswich Human Services Centre yesterday to present a Certificate of Commendation to staff and praise the "green army" for their outstanding service and response efforts during the 2011 floods.

The QT has covered numerous stories on people who illegally claimed flood relief, with around 1000 cases now before the courts, and when asked about that situation both Mr Carr and Mr Neumann said culprits should be dealt with and prosecuted.

"They should be punished to the full extent possible," Mr Neumann said. "I think it is a disgrace and disgusting that people would take the opportunity during times of crisis in our community to exploit that for their own financial gain illegally ... when their fellow Australians are suffering so much."

Mr Neumann said "99 per cent' of people do the right thing and Mr Carr added that "the overwhelming majority of people are honest in their dealings".

"But in any system there are always some people who will rip off other people and they should be dealt with as they have been and prosecuted in accordance with the law," Mr Carr said.

Mr Neumann said, "the dark green angels of Centrelink were there in their dark green community recovery T-shirts with their ipads giving out money through the disaster relief arrangements so that money was getting into people's bank accounts at the height of the flood for food, clothing and household needs.

"There were 3000 homes and hundreds of businesses inundated in the Ipswich region and we had dozens of people from Centrelink on the ground knocking on people's doors providing counsel, relief and assistance when it was needed."

Mr Neumann and Mr Carr also announced yesterday that the Department of Human Services Agent will increase its opening hours from 17.5 to 19 hours in the Somerset Region.

www.QT.com.au

13.11.12

Bundamba Naval Association has nowhere to keep memorabilia if evicted from former Blackstone State School

Bill Krause and Kurt Geipel from Bundamba Naval Association

Bundamba Naval Association survived the floods, but now faces a struggle to stay afloat.

The group moved into the former Blackstone State School after its old office at the Goodna RSL function centre was destroyed in the 2011 floods. Publicity of its plight led to donations of memorabilia pouring in.

The association is one of three groups now facing eviction on January 10 after the State Government decided to dispose of the historic school.

Bundamba Naval Association's Bill Krause said members had been offered office space at the rebuilt Goodna RSL function centre, but all the group's memorabilia would not fit there.

"If we hadn't found this (school), we wouldn't have invested or accepted all the donations,'' he said.

"Now we are in a dilemma. If we have to move and we can't find something comparable in size or the facilities, then we have to go to the expense of either storing this stuff somewhere or giving it away.''

Mr Krause said because the members were in their ``senior years'', they would have to pay removalists to shift furniture and memorabilia.

"The funds we have set aside to do welfare work would be chewed up by having to pay for removal and resettlement. It doesn't come out of thin air. We are a non-profit organisation, so we rely on this sort of environment to survive.''

Mr Krause said it was disappointing discussions between the groups and the State Government appeared to have shut down.

 

www.CourierMail.com.au

 

23.11.12

 

Good news for Ipswich and Goodna: Location-based emergency alerts available this summer

AUSTRALIAN emergency services battling natural disasters will have access to world-first technology this summer.

Authorities will have the ability to send location-based text messages to mobile phones in the event of emergencies.

Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon talked about the technology on Thursday during her visit to Goodna, which was devastated by the 2011 floods.

The Federal Government put up $60 million to develop the Emergency Alert.

Victoria led the work on behalf of the Commonwealth and all states and territories.

But it will only be Telstra customers will have access to the system this season, with Vodafone and Optus to follow next year.

Unlike the old alert system the new technology, which is location-based, will allow for holidaymakers to receive alerts.

"Getting emergency warnings out effectively during a disaster is absolutely critical," Ms Roxon said.

"In a world first, emergency text messages will be sent out to mobile phones based on where that phone is, as well as its registered address.

"After all, mobile phones are mobile. This update will help emergency services to get warnings to the right people at the right time in the right place."

Ms Roxon stressed the text messaging system was not designed to replace other emergency warnings issued on radio, TV, websites, but was instead another means of keeping people informed during emergencies.

The Member for Oxley Bernie Ripoll was also in Goodna yesterday, and said the new technology had the potential to save lives.

"The Queensland floods taught us all about the importance of getting the right information out to people as soon as possible," Mr Ripoll said.

"This upgrade will mean mobile phone users will be able to get these warnings if they're in a disaster area - this system won't only rely upon their registered address."

Telstra, which signed up as the first carrier for the system in January, is currently completing final testing to the system, which is expected to be ready for use next month.

www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au

15.11.12

Goodna Flood victim Carl Wilmott trounces RACQ Insurance

RACQ urges quick claims after weekend storms

 

RACQ today urged affected policyholders to lodge claims arising from the weekend's gstorms as soon as possible.

"RACQ is operating its 24-hour hotline, 13 72 02, for customers to lodge claims directly over the phone with no forms to fill out," RACQ Executive Manager Insurance Communications Mike Sopinski said.

"RACQ Insurance has already received more than 200 households claims and more than 150 motor claims, with many more expected over the next few days.

"The sooner customers lodge their claims, the sooner we can arrange for the assessment of storm damaged property.

"At this stage RACQ has received claims relating to both home and car damage'' Mr Sopinski said.

"We are seeing damage to homes from falling tree branches, hail, and wind damage from flying debris. We are also being notified of water entering homes through roofs as a result of clogged gutters and downpipes and damage to sheds and out buildings.  

"It's far too early to put an estimate on the value of claims as the extent of damage to property is still developing and we expect to receive additional customer claims over the next few days.

"As soon as possible after customers lodge a claim with us, RACQ assessing staff will be on the ground to assess damage to cars and homes, so that we can commence the repair process."

"RACQ policyholders with damage to their car or home should phone RACQ on our 24-hour telephone number 13 72 02 for immediate claims service.

"Due to the widespread storm damage and the number of calls for assistance we anticipate, we ask that customers please be patient when calling RACQ," he said.

www.racq.com.au

19.11.12

COMMENT:  Given their woeful performance after the 2011 flood, RACQ Insurance is obviously trying to build some credibility with their apparent "consumer friendly" approach to building and vehicle damage claims. 

Prudent consumers should never forget how thousands of ordinary Brisbane and Ipswich policy holders were denied payouts by RACQ Insurance in the aftermath of the devastating flood of 11 January 2011. 

Their actions should never be forgotten and current RACQ Insurance policy holders should seriously consider cancelling their policies and people shopping for insurance should simply avoid RACQ Insurance in protest at the company's actions.

RACQ's insult to the people of Goodna in particular will be embedded in people's minds for many decades to come.

 

No Wivenhoe Dam release says Minister

 

Wivenhoe Dam

 

WATER will not be released yet from Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam to help protect the city from potential wet season flooding.

Water Supply Minister Mark McArdle says although the dam is 96.5 per cent full, its dedicated flood mitigation compartment, which can hold 1.42 million megalitres of water, is empty.

The dam's operation was the focus of the final sitting of the Queensland Flood Commission of Inquiry, when the former government's water utilities minister was grilled on why water wasn't released before the devastating 2010-11 floods hit.

Mr McArdle said the latest advice from the weather bureau is that this summer's wet season will not see the strong La Nina conditions that led to the 2010-11 flood disasters.

The decision not to lower the levels at Wivenhoe and North Pine Dam, north of Brisbane, was also based on water supply security, dam operations, public safety, downstream impacts, the public interest and the extent to which a potential flood impact could be mitigated.

Mr McArdle said he would continually review the decision.

Ipswich councillor Paul Tully said the dam should be lowered to 75 per cent and Mr McArdle should stop listening to highly paid, out-of-touch bureaucrats who didn't know what it's like to live through a flood.

"This is a shortsighted decision which adds more risks to residents in flood-prone areas of Ipswich and Brisbane," he said in a statement.

Mr Tully lost his family home at Goodna, along with 600 other families in the area, in the 2011 flood.

 

www.TheAustralian.com.au

 

9.11.12

Fight on to make sure southeast Queensland's beautiful subtropical trees don't leave as Goodna's Jacarandas survive three floods

Chantal Jacobs rides past jacaranda trees at
the University of Queensland's St Lucia campus.

THE brilliant reds, purples and shade of the southeast's subtropical trees have formed part of the region's spring and summer landscape for more than a century in some cases.

However in the face of a recent run of dry weather and the increasing age of some trees, the battle to preserve them is a constant one.

The magnitude of that fight hit home in Ipswich this month, when two 80-year-old jacarandas came crashing to the ground in Brisbane Tce and George St at Goodna during a windy day.

With Goodna's annual Jacaranda Festival due to go ahead next Friday, Councillor Paul Tully said Ipswich City Council had plans to replace the fallen trees and would make arrangements to ensure the iconic jacarandas did not disappear for good.

"They were planted 80 years ago this year, and they have survived three floods," he said.

"The old trees, I do think some of them are on their last legs. We are going to swing into action now with a plan to plant a new jacaranda in between each of the existing old ones."



Brodie Bannister enjoys the shade
of a Moreton Bay fig in Kelvin Grove.



Cr Tully said council had a responsibility to weigh up issues of public safety against preserving the environment.

He added he was increasingly aware of public concerns about large trees, particularly older eucalypts.

"It really is a difficult issue, because you might have a really magnificent tree.

"They don't last forever and people might think they will but they get old, they lose branches, they get rot in them and diseased sooner or later but it is important for councils to replenish trees to ensure that you don't just cut out the old ones and leave nothing."

While the sight of a blooming jacaranda or poinciana are familiar to many, the reason for their abundance in Brisbane may not be.

 

BIG REDS: Blooming poincianas in a St Lucia street.

Introduced poincianas and jacarandas have featured in Queensland parks for more than a century, but it was Harry Oakman, Brisbane's superintendent of parks from 1945 to 1962, whose vision left a lingering impact.

His mission to adorn Brisbane in the flowering trees, as well as Moreton Bay figs, can be witnessed annually as the fruits of that labour bloom.

With almost 800 trees of varying species located in and around the Brisbane CBD alone, and hundreds more dotted through the city's suburbs, Brisbane's City Council's team of arborists seeks to preserve this legacy by replacing "like with like" where possible, as the trees reach the end of their natural lives.

The recent big dry has also presented challenges as council officers conduct regular inspections of the city's foliage to address threats posed by weather and old age.

A spokesman for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said while some smaller trees were suffering in the drier weather, most were faring well.

 

RELAXING ATMOSPHERE: Andrew Greenhalgh and
Christina Rucker lounge in the sun against a jacaranda at St Lucia.

Council has a number of processes for collecting information on the city's trees, which include regular inspections of parks, problem trees and trees located in the CBD," he said.

"Council does have records of most of the city's oldest trees but none of these are of concern due to the current dry conditions. These trees have survived many droughts and generally have very deep root systems."

"Most are located in council's older parks such as the Botanic Gardens, and as such, are watched very closely by Councils gardeners. The CBD contains a number of very old fig trees. These trees have deep root systems and are highly resilient to drought."

www.CourierMail.com.au

20.10.12

Ebbs and flows of riverfront sales along the Brisbane River

 

Patrick Dixon, a doyen of riverfront sales,
on the balcony of a St Lucia home. 

PATRICK Dixon spent his formative years beside the Brisbane River, having mud fights with the neighbours and looking at the flying foxes' evening migration up river every sunset.

But the river has been more important for him as an adult, where he has become Brisbane's leading property agent for riverfront property since the river gained cachet as a place to live in the past two decades. He even has written a book about housing on the Brisbane River.

Now, nearly two years after the floods put some of Brisbane's best waterfront real estate under the water, he sees a recovery in some parts of Brisbane's riverfront market. "Two years isn't really enough to deaden the pain, but the discount that people were demanding after the floods is already decreasing," he says.

He argues that the riverfront property market in Brisbane has been hit in the past few years by a double whammy: first, the global financial crisis, which affected the top end of markets everywhere, and second, the floods of January last year.

Floods have marked Dixon's career. His first job in real estate was at Ray White in Brisbane's CBD in 1974, exactly the same time as Brisbane's other big flood of modern times.

"When showing houses 10 years later, people's first question was about the flood. This time around they're coming back a lot quicker. There's a perception that the flood was caused by bad management of Wivenhoe (Dam), and if that can be fixed up, then waterfront living is fine again.

"But also the river brand is a lot stronger now than it was after 1974. There's been a whole change in Brisbane in attitudes to living on the river now compared with what it was then."

For most of Brisbane's history, the breezy hilltops with their cooling winds were the most desirable places to build, while the river was seen as being on the flats. Dixon traces the change in attitude to 1988, when the Expo was held at a large site beside the Brisbane River directly opposite the CBD, and locals as well as visitors suddenly saw the big advantages of a lifestyle beside the river.

As Brisbane grew quickly throughout the 1990s and 2000s, property fronting the Brisbane River became particularly desirable, with many of the newly rich moving there rather than the high hills of suburbs such as Ascot.

Mining billionaires Clive Palmer and Peter Bond live on the river at Fig Tree Pocket, while Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant, who is also a successful businessman, lives on the river at Chelmer.

But the flood made a big psychological impact. The 1974 flood hit far more of Brisbane than last year's flood did, and suburbs below the CBD were hardly affected last year although those farther upstream were probably affected more.

The impact of the recent flood is seen from activity in waterfront housing. In 2007, there were 49 houses sold on the river; 29 in 2008; 34 in 2009; and 38 in 2010. But last year, the year after the flood, there were only 20 houses sold. There is a slight recovery evident this year. In the first eight months, 18 houses were sold, so between 27 and 30 should be sold across the full year. While movement is returning, activity is still well below pre-flood levels.

This is not solely because of the flood, as the entire top end of Brisbane's real estate market has trended downwards in the past few years, as indeed it has all across the country.

Dixon says that even before last year's flood, people were prepared to pay a premium of 5-10 per cent for a flood-free block - that is, one that did not go underwater in 1974. That premium rocketed up last year, but Dixon says it has now come back to about 15-20 per cent.

Straight after the floods, some people sold their houses complete with mud and debris, while others restored them to the state they were in before the flood. It's the latter group that will be coming on to the market in the next few years and the longer the time distance from the floods, the better the price will be.

"The interesting thing is that it's the former group who generally did better, as competition by builders and amateur home renovators resulted in premiums not experienced by sellers who restored their homes," Dixon says. "The latter had buyers worried about a recurrence of the flood while the former had anxious buyers looking to secure a low-entry price foothold on to the Brisbane River."

Already this year, there have been four sales of more than $5 million for riverfront property, but these were all on non-flood-affected sites. The real test will come in the next 12 months when renovated flood-affected properties come on the market.

www.TheAustralian.com.au

18.10.12

Guide to purchasing best insurance to cover all bases

A good insurance adviser will have
an eye for your personal situation.

INSURANCE is one of those things that we don't miss until we need it.

Sure we bemoan the monthly outgoings for a "just in case" but there is usually a sigh of relief if the unfortunate situation does eventuate.

The six main forms of insurance, well in Australia at least, are policies for motor vehicles, home and contents, businesses, mortgage protection, workers compensation and travel.

There are hundreds of companies offering insurance products to consumers with each product having its own set of exclusions and requirements.

It is difficult to know where to start.

Motor vehicles

As with any insurance policy the best one is the one that best suits your needs and circumstances.

Motor vehicle insurance is usually made up of a number of components including bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, uninsured motorist protection, collision coverage and physical damage.

It is vital that you don't choose your cover on price alone as being underinsured is sure to cost you in the long run but in this competitive market you can have a policy tailored to your specific needs.

All drivers must have compulsory third party insurance but then it's up to you as to what else you want included.

Prices differ according to the type and age of the vehicle you own, where it is stored, if it is used for business, which is driving it and whether it has been modified.

So consider your circumstances and think out of the box.

If you don't drive your car that often you may consider a "Pay as you drive" policy or if you have retired maybe look into companies that support a specific age group.

Most insurers also offer multi-policy discounts when you hold other policies with them.

 House and contents

Your home is very likely your biggest asset and the treasured possessions within will be difficult to replace without insurance.

If you have taken out a mortgage to secure your property the bank will insist on insurance but don't feel pressured to go with the broker they suggest.

Shopping around may net a better price.

You will have to decide whether you want "total replacement" cover or "sum ensured" cover but use accurate estimates of the rebuild cost of your home as this will affect the price and it is often better to slightly overvalue your contents than opt for the other end of the scale.

 Keep in mind that if your home is destroyed you will need money not only to replace it but for supplementary costs like alternative accommodation, removal of debris and lodging plans with council.

 Often insurance companies will cap the amount valuable items are covered for so for example items like jewellery or electronics may have a maximum payout of $5000.

 If you have items that are quite valuable consider insuring them separately.

Be sure to check on flood coverage and what constitutes a flood for the sake of the policy and also things like whether your home is covered if you are away for long periods of time.

If you work from home you will need to have a separate business insurance policy to cover damages in your home office.

Take photos of your possessions, particularly in the room in which they are placed as this will help support any claims you may make, if you lose them or they become damaged.

Health

If you do not have private insurance with hospital benefits and you earn over $84,000 ($168,000 for couples, families and single parents) you will have to pay an extra 1% Medical Levy Surcharge in addition to the 1.5% you already pay in your tax.

That and an overextended public system are just two reasons to consider health insurance.

Most people tend to opt for hospital and extras cover which will look after services like dentistry, physiotherapy, optical and alternative therapies.

There is great variation in what is covered and the rebates involved so make sure your research is thorough.

If you have already had your family for example you could exclude maternity care while young healthy singles may have little use for hip replacements.

Also, you can use a different provider for your hospital cover from the one you choose for extras depending on which offers the services you need.

There are so many providers on the market now that it wouldn't hurt to do comparisons.

Did you know?

There is documented evidence that Chinese and Babylonian traders began to protect themselves against risk as far back as the third century BC by spreading their goods among multiple vessels to avoid chances of complete loss.

In later years, ship masters in Great Britain reasoned that if 100 ship owners each chipped in money the money collected could be used to repair or replace the few boats that were damaged or lost.

Extreme losses following the Great Fire of London in 1666 led to the creation of the world's first actual insurance company, The Insurance Office, or The Fire Office.

In the US, the first insurance company was started in Charleston, South Carolina in 1732. Benjamin Franklin is recognised as helping to make insurance popular and to standardise the practice of insurance.

www.IpswichAdvertiser.com.au

18.10.12
 

Sony Foundation funds Salvos Youth Centre in Goodna

Denis Handlin AM, Chairman and
CEO of Sony Music Australasia

By Paul Cashmere

The Queensland town of Goodna has a brand new facility built with thanks to funding from the Sony Foundation.

After the floods of 2011, Sony Music released the Flood Relief album with money raised going to the Sony Foundation.

The Sony Foundations selected the Salvation Army as the benefactor of the money raised and the state-of-the-art Sound Point facility in Goodna, Queensland was built with the proceeds.

Sony Music Chairman and CEO and Sony Foundation Governor Denis Handlin was in Goodna yesterday for the official opening of the new centre where Sony artist Pete Murray also performed.

600 homes in Goodna were affected by the Queensland floods. It was decided to build the Sound Point facility for the benefit of the whole community.

In 2009, following the Victorian bushfires, Sony raised $1.7 million from the sale of the benefit album ‘Bushfire AID’ for the Sony Foundation to distribute. Denis also drove that project.

The Sony Foundation is the charitable arm of the Sony group of companies in Australia.

The Foundation has contributed over $12 million to charity over the past decade.

 

www.Noise11.com

 

 

COMMENT: On behalf of the people of Goodna and surrounding flood-affected suburbs, I sincerely thank Denis Handlin AM, Sony Music, the Sony Foundation and the Salvation Army for this tremendous facility.  Your generosity and assistance will never be forgotten.  Cr Paul Tully - PaulGTully@gmail.com

 

5.10.12

Suncorp ripoff continues as flood victims suffer

Suncorp may have won the PR war in the wake of the 2011 floods but their insurance premiums have skyrocketted in the aftermath of their apparent "good guy" generosity.

 

One young Goodna couple got the shock of their lives when their annual Suncorp premium jumped from $1400 to $3565 - more than two and a half times the pre-flood quote.

 

Suncorp - and the rest of the rapacious insurance companies - have done very, very well in the 37 years between the 1974 and the 2011 floods, yet cry poor when they have to make one big payout.

 

Those same companies have very few payouts for bushfires in Queensland and relatively infrequent destructive cyclones mean that their payout levels are quite low overall.

 

But come one big flood event, Suncorp pays out, jacks up premiums to world record levels and even refuses to insure the entire population in some Queensland towns.

 

The Federal Government talks tough on cracking down on the insurance industry but then tinkers at the edges and, in reality, achieves the usual political goal - something between bugger all and nothing.

 

There needs to be a Royal Commission into the insurance industry in Australia with sweeping changes so that the profit hungry insurance companies have a dual and equal responsibility to both their shareholders and their policy holders. At the moment, they put company profits ahead of fair and equitable insurance policies and payouts.

 

Until major reforms happen, gouging of customers by insurance companies in Australia will continue unabated to the detriment of honest, hard-working Australians.

 

.............................................................

If you know of any insurance company
which provides full flood insurance at
competitive rates, please contact:
PaulGTully@gmail

 

6.10.12

Clear skies the focus for Goodna following the 2011 flood



Pete Murray perform at the opening of the
Sony Foundation and The Salvation Army
Goodna Youth and Community Centre.



AWARD-WINNING artist Pete Murray hit the stage at Goodna yesterday to help the community celebrate a brighter future after the devastating 2011 floods with the opening of a new youth and community centre.

In partnership with the Sony Foundation, the Salvation Army's state-of-the-art facility opening was headlined with a set by Murray and also included performances from local dance acts and Murwillumbah beat box artist Bonnie Van Tiel.

After a three-song performance that included the hit single Seen Better Days, a relaxed Murray said he had been involved with the Salvation Army for a few years and was happy to be a part of the healing process for the community.

"When the floods hit, Denis Handlin, who is the boss of Sony, got in touch with me and it seemed like a great way to help," he said.

"I'm happy to be a part of this great opening and just happy to help."

Joining Murray in the festivities was Major Neil Dickson, of the Salvation Army, who was extremely happy with the new facility, which was built with the funds raised by the Sony Foundation.

"Goodna was severely affected by the 2011 flood, with 600 homes and units sustaining damage. We believe this is a great spot for the new centre. We also are striving not to distinguish between those who have been affected by the floods and those who were not. This is for the whole community."

Goodna resident Natasha Kiely was just excited to see her favourite artist.

"I can't believe Pete Murray is playing here, I love him," she said.

The new centre, which has been officially named Sound Point, in honour of the Sony Foundation, will play a central role in combining other community services already located in the area including Lifeline and Goodna Youth Services.

Sound Point will offer services including youth education, recreation, arts and counselling, plus legal advice and personal support for all local residents.

For more information call Sound Point on 3280 8800 between 9am and 4.30pm.

www.QT.com.au

5.10.12

Floodlines exhibition hits the road across Queensland

An interactive exhibition profiling the memory of Queensland's 2011 floods and cyclone has hit the road to tour 60 regional centres in Queensland.

A vast collection of contemporary digital media and historical articles from the State Library collection have been compiled for the State Library of Queensland's (SLQ) exhibition Floodlines: a living memory.

Curators of the exhibition collaborated with number of organisations to create an interactive showcase of the stories before during and after as told by the community members themselves, local storytellers and the media.

Executive Manager of Learning and Participation with the SLQ Linda Pitt says one of the exciting features of the exhibition is the interactive flood mapping, which allows users to assess the levels of flooding across suburbs of Brisbane, and towns devastated by Cyclone Yasi, Cardwell, Tully and Ingham using a smart phone device.

The SLQ have worked closely with a company specialising in technology called 'augmented reality mapping' - to develop an interactive reflection of the affected centres before, during and after the disaster events. Users can scroll through the timeline to see suburbs of Brisbane, and various regional towns at different stages of the flood.

Ms Pitt says although the focus has been on the Brisbane River when the exhibition was on display at the State Library, the touring exhibition includes more developed mapping data to include towns affected by the widespread flood event.

"We think that it's a Queensland first to develop augmented reflections. This takes the existing map and terrain data from the 2010/2011 flooding to simulate the flooding in [selected] areas."

"People will be able to bring their personal devices (smart phone, or smart tablet device) - download the free 'floodlines' app from the app store and use that to reflect on the flooding in their suburb or town."

Curators from the State Library also collaborated with ABC Open for their 'Wall of Stories' feature of the Floodlines: a living memory exhibition, which featured content created by ABC Open producers for the Aftermath project.

Ms Pitt says it was important to draw on the wealth of knowledge and skill in the community for the exhibition to make it authentic.

The exhibition also draws on the collective memory of Queenslanders by way of a photo contribution to the Flood and Cyclone Mosaic.

The artwork was conceptualized by digital artist Jason Nelson and the State Library team, but is being built by the cameras of Queenslanders.

"A lot of people took photographs of their neighbourhood, and so we've used that as a platform to capture some of those stories," Ms Pitt says.

She says people who visit the travelling exhibition or view it online are welcome to contribute photos to the mosaic.

"We didn't want to delve into any sort of disaster porn images, but to really look at the stories on the ground and the people who have shared their very intimate moments with us.

"It's about community spirit, and the exhibition is to learn, understand and empathise."

"This is a snapshot of the Queensland story, and we want to make it about the people and about communities," she says.

After being on display at the State Library of Queensland for 5 months, Floodlines has hit the road and will tour the following regional centres in Queensland.


2012

Gordon White Library 2 October - 2 November
Moranbah Library 14 - 27 November
Clermont Library 30 November - 13 December


2013

Middlemount Library 25 January - 7 February
Dysart Library 12 - 22 February
CityLibraries Aitkenvale 9 - 19 March
Hinchinbrook Shire Library, Ingham - 28 March - 10 April
Cardwell Library 19 - 27 April
Dorothy Jones Library Tully 1 - 13 May
Kuranda Library 24 May - 5 June
Mareeba Library 11 - 22 June
Atherton Library 27 June - 8 July
Malanda Library 13 - 24 July
Ravenshoe Library 1 - 10 August
Herberton Library 19 - 23 August
Dimbulah Library 29 August
Chillagoe Library 3 September
Croydon Library 20 September - 2 October
Normanton Library 18 - 29 October
Karumba Library 2 - 12 November

www.ABC.net.au

3.10.12

Salvos and Sony open new Goodna Youth Centre

Denis Handlin, CEO of Sony Australia
at the official opening at Goodna
 

Denis Handlin Head of Sony Australia at the opening of the Salvation Army Youth & Community Centre at Smiths Rd Goodna this morning.

Sony donated $2 million after the 2011 flood to establish the Centre.

The Centre is situated in Smiths Rd Goodna, adjacent to Crazy Clarks, opposite St Ives Shopping entre.

4.10.12
 

Flooding worse than 2011 a real possibility

04 Oct 2012 Letter to the Editor of The Queensland Times Cr Paul Tully AS USUAL, Ken Alderton completely evades the central point of the Wivenhoe Dam debate (QT 1/10). The question of whether the dam was operated negligently in the days leading up to the flood on January 11, 2011, will be a matter for the courts, with the evidence of engineers and hydrologists tested before a Supreme Court judge. The standard of proof in a civil case is on the balance of probabilities, which means the evidential onus in any class action instituted by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers might be more easily met by the plaintiffs. I should place on record that Mr Alderton does show a modicum of perspicacity in acknowledging that former Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s claim in 1985 of the end of Brisbane River floods following the commissioning of the Wivenhoe Dam was a total political furphy. Former Ipswich City engineer Bob Gamble once described the flooding characteristics of the Bremer and Brisbane River systems as "the most complex in Australia" and consistently predicted future major floods in Ipswich and Brisbane. Irrespective of the outcome of any class action, I agree with your correspondent that we must look to the future to avoid the widespread complacency in the community which crept in during the decades following the 1974 flood that it would never happen again. One only has to look at the 1893 flood which was six metres higher than last year’s flood to realise that far worse floods than 1974 and 2011 remain a real possibility. CR PAUL TULLY Goodna www.QT.com.au 4.10.12

Lawyers stand to gain from compensation if Newman Government makes ex gratia payments

Wivenhoe Dam

By Michael Madigan

THOUSANDS of Queensland flood victims risk losing a large slice of any compensation payouts even if a planned multibillion-dollar class action never reaches a courtroom.

Lawyers trying to extract taxpayer compensation for Brisbane flood victims stand to gain up to 30 per cent even if the Newman Government bows to pressures and makes ex gratia payments.

Law firm Maurice Blackburn's backers IMF Australia stand to pocket tens of millions of dollars if they succeed, with the government payout likely to be in the hundreds of millions.

Up to 5000 victims are believed to have signed up to a class action despite a US Army report released last week that backed the actions of the Wivenhoe dam engineers.

The $15 million flood inquiry earlier this year found the engineers had breached the manual.

Pressure is expected to build on the Newman Government to make some ex gratia payments to avoid a public backlash in the lead-up to the next election.

Flood victim David Stark, who estimates the flood cost him close to $250,000 and who has repeatedly linked the management of Wivenhoe Dam with the floods, said litigants had to take care.

"I am not necessarily anti-Maurice Blackburn, but I would urge all flood victims to look at all options before signing anything," Mr Stark said.

He said it was unlikely the Government would settle victims' claims for compensation without a courtroom showdown, but it was not an impossible scenario.

Maurice Blackburn principal Damian Scattini said there was only one pressure point applied to the Newman Government to pay flood victims compensation and that was the class action.

"You can join the class action or you can get 100 per cent of nothing," he said.

"Because that is what the Government has promised you - nothing."

Mr Scattini said it was standard procedure for a company funding a class action to be recompensed.

He said backers would not expect any slice of the payout if the Government announced a compensation payout clearly unrelated with the pressure applied by the class action.

IMF Australia has made it clear in section 13 of its agreement summary if claims are settled "or there is an ex gratia payment received by you" IMF would be repaid a fee of between 26 and 30 per cent of the gross amount.

If the class action reaches resolution on or before before June 30, 2013, the fee is 26 per cent off the top of the first $1 million. If the resolution is reached after June 2013, the fee is 30 per cent off the top.

The Government has refused to comment.

A spokesman said that Premier Campbell Newman had made the Government's position clear when he said: "People who have a complaint, they will have to look at these things and make a judgment, it is a free country".

But Mr Newman has dodged questions on whether his Government would act as a model litigant as pledged by former premier Anna Bligh.

A model litigant is required to fairly assess the claims and mediate the claims wherever possible.

Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully, whose own home was flooded, said the prime impetus for the Government to settle claims came from the class action.

www.CourierMail.com.au
3.10.12