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When disasters leave us lost for words…

Tory Shepherd

by Tory Shepherd

04 Feb 05:30am

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Filed under: Cliches, Queensland, Queensland Floods, Tropical Cyclone Yasi, Words, Yasi

85 comments

Queensland really dodged a bullet.

Cartoon: Jos Valdman

After the devastating floods of that fatal tsunami inundated the state, the waters had barely receded when it was out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Turns out Yasi’s bark was worse than its bite.

As North Queensland hovered on the brink of disaster, we thought they didn’t have a hope in hell.

It was going to be the worst cyclone in living memory, a once-in-a-lifetime disaster. Or once-in-a-century. Or worst in living memory.  So we hit the panic button and it was all hands on deck. Our hopes and prayers were with them.

Then it made landfall, and all hell broke loose. It was hell on earth, a hellish wind, a mighty beast. The 250km winds, the 300km winds, ripped into Innisfail. Small communities took the full brunt of the blast, with Tully and Cardwell at the epicentre, at ground zero.

It was raining cats and dogs; the rain came in sideways. Waves surged 18 metres, or maybe more, in a massive storm surge.

As luck would have it, Yasi overpromised and underdelivered.

Still, as dawn broke and the true extent of the devastation became clear, people realised they didn’t have a pot to piss in.

Towns were decimated, with 60 per cent destroyed in some cases.

So; the effects will be felt for months but they dodged the bullet and now the show must go on. We should all count our blessings.

Crops were levelled but the important thing is loved ones and photographs.

Queensland will be rebuilt with blood, sweat and tears.

Because when the going gets tough, the tough get going. And they build them tough up there – tough as nails they are, salt of the earth.

It’ll cost an arm and a leg .
But Premier Anna Bligh’s put her best foot forward, a solid performance.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott put his foot in his mouth by asking for donations to fund a fight against enforced donations - but to err is human. Still - it was the pot calling the kettle black

But there were three babies born while Yasi raged. It’s a miracle!

Most commented

85 comments

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    • acotrel says:

      05:11am | 04/02/11

      And where is Tony Abbott? - non commente?

      Reply

    • Jacki says:

      06:16am | 04/02/11

      He is going around quietly visiting people.
      Unlike JG who takes a full media team with her

    • Catching up says:

      07:44am | 04/02/11

      acotrel you are joking, I hope.  Pray please tell me how a PM can move without the media following her.  I imagine she would like to know the answer to that as well.

    • persephone says:

      04:00pm | 04/02/11

      Jacki

      gee, he’s being really quiet about it.

      As well as being a master of time manipulation.

      Today he did an interview from Western Sydney.

      I don’t think he’s been in Queensland - or any of the flood or cyclone affected areas - for some days.

    • Christian Real says:

      08:40pm | 04/02/11

      Acotrel,
      Tony Abbott is too busy counting up the donations to his anti flood levy campaign to visit cyclone ravaged North Queensland

    • Shane From Melbourne says:

      05:23am | 04/02/11

      “Queensland will be rebuilt with blood, sweat and tears.” But will it be rebuilt with periodic flooding and cyclones in mind? Will housing design keep the floods and cyclones in mind or will they keep on building the mass produced housing based largely on American techniques? Will local councils grow a pair and prohibit construction of flood prone areas or will they be seduced by the lure of developer money? To rebuild without putting into practice some of the lessons learned from the disasters would be a waste.

      Reply

    • Bill says:

      06:57am | 04/02/11

      You can tell you are from Melbourne.

      The damage has been so small because they build houses to cyclone standards.  The ones you have seen damaged will be older than the legislated requirements to construct in this manner.

    • stephen says:

      08:48am | 04/02/11

      Take a look at the buildings on Dunk Island & contrast with the surrounding vegetation.  Amazing example of building to the code.  The building code in central and north QLD mandates to build to withstand cyclones, and if I am correct, in these parts they have to be rated to withstand a Cat 5 cyclones.  Thats why it is no accident that the houses still intact are new.  Nonetheless I think many people, architects etc would be quietly amazed that so many buildings indeed stood up so well.

    • Kika says:

      01:37pm | 04/02/11

      Thanks for the comment Shane from Melbourne.  I believe everything built after Cyclone Tracey after a certain meridian must be cyclone compliant. Even more so after Larry. And you’ll find that most the buildings that made it through the storm were cyclone compliant, those that didn’t were probably older than Tracey.

      The flood plain issue is a little harder to solve. Brisbane for example is one giant flood plain. And living by the river is really lovely. No one is going to ban that because it’s part of our lifestyle. But I agree with you in part - building codes near the river have to be strict, and a return to the traditional Queenslander must be done. Leave downstairs as an open, clear space for water and wind - no build ins!

    • S M says:

      04:11pm | 04/02/11

      We couldn’t build a garden shed without it meeting certain requirements for withstanding cyclones.

      We still have our shed this morning, and have little doubt our house would hold up under much worse.

      There are also restrictions in place in various places across NQ in regards to building heights in flood prone areas. 

      The biggest problem with construction here is design for living in the heat, not floods and cyclones.

    • Against the Man says:

      05:43am | 04/02/11

      Where is Gillard? We miss her smiling on TV during disasters and losing her temper on Sunrise. Remember Gillard wasted our taxpayer monies and gave us a levy to cover up her screw ups. In the private sector she would have been so fired and unlikely to find work for months on end.

      Reply

    • Liberal Insider says:

      01:31pm | 04/02/11

      Gillard is talking to rebel Liberal MP’s who want to address climate change?
      According to party sources.

    • Pubgate says:

      03:22pm | 04/02/11

      @Liberal insider,I too heard this rumor,but they could find any factual evidence on the subject, apparently they went to the pub to invent some

    • nossy says:

      06:30am | 04/02/11

      Wonderful to see Ms Gillard arrive promptly at ground zero in Townsville yesterday Tory bringing comfort and hope to all those affected by Cyclone Yasi. Today she said she is touring the devastated area and talking to as many people as she can. Bravo Ms Gillard. Leadership plus at a time when we here in QLD expect it. Unlike of course the sad little chap who currently holds the Opposition Leaders chair Abbott who I am told has now done a “reverse somersault and pike with egg on face” and now wants to support the Flood Levy ! Breathtaking viewers - nossy is without breath !

      Reply

    • Ryan says:

      09:48am | 04/02/11

      Wasting valuable resources and time taking people who could be helping out of their way to look after queen Jooooylia.
      What comfort would the worst prime minister in the history of Australia bring to Queensland, she showed a lot of empathy during the floods didn’t she.

    • Pete says:

      10:23am | 04/02/11

      quiet right Ryan,
      and if she wasnt there you would be whinging on that bandwagon, cheap political shot I believe you call it

    • Ryan says:

      12:37pm | 04/02/11

      @Pete: incorrect Pete, and I don’t ever recall coining the phrase “cheap political shot”.
      A good leader is a person who is truly empathetic and knows when not to get in the way.

    • Christian Real says:

      08:43pm | 04/02/11

      Ryan,
      Julia more empathy than Abbott ever showed

    • Ben81 says:

      09:29pm | 04/02/11

      “Abbott who I am told has now done a “reverse somersault and pike with egg on face” and now wants to support the Flood Levy !”

      I think you need to get your information from new sources.

    • Ryan says:

      02:15pm | 05/02/11

      @Christian Real: ha, Gillard doesn’t know what empathy is, she cares less about Australia and its people, if you are going to attack the leader of the opposition as not being empathetic, REALLY, you are going to make yourself look so stupid when everyone knows his relentless community service that you low, disgusting Labor lot like to make fun of. Now I know you and your Labor colleagues hate surf lifesaving Australia but that does not mean that it isn’t a worthy organisation that saves lives, just like the rural fire service, both of which Tony Abbott supports despite the dirty, low and immorral mocking of the Labor party. Do tell what Gillard or even yourself as a pollie does to support the community. I see Gillard back flipped on some more promises this morning, not even surprised anymore since not one word that comes out of that liars mouth can be trusted.

    • steve parker says:

      06:38am | 04/02/11

      ....and will it be built from the insurance that the Queensland Government took out against disaster. Of course not - the Bligh Government is the only State Government not to take out such insurance. Now that’s pretty clever isn’t it.

      Reply

    • Pete says:

      10:25am | 04/02/11

      facts please steve, It was the queensland government who have never taken out that sort of insurance. I beleive that might include Joh etc.

    • Kyra says:

      10:39am | 04/02/11

      Actually steve and pete the Qld govt rather than taking out insurance has a disaster fund much like everyone was proposing instead of the flood levy. In the event of a natural disaster the federal govt has as 75% responsibility for costs, states 25% regardless of whether the state is Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas, WA. Vic has insurance, but in the event of a natural disaster is only responsible for 25% of cost for infrastructure just like Qld.

    • Hamlyn says:

      06:08pm | 05/02/11

      Yeah, time to cut QLD loose, they’re costing the rest of us too much. Tasmanias better value!!!

    • Huey says:

      06:42am | 04/02/11

      Disasters by appointment will never be the same after Cyclone “Yahtzee” .
      Not so much an epicentre as an “epic -centre” Have to book Koche et al for our next set of flood/fire/cyclone. Can we have three days notice of earthquakes in future?

      Reply

    • mary says:

      10:27am | 04/02/11

      My daughter’s middle name is Yazhi, named after a morning star at her birth.
      I’m used to these kind of breezes, as Tory puts it so aptly, ‘the bark worse than its bite’ .. usually.
      Mind you having said that, maybe no deadly casualties but still a humongous mess to clean up. My thoughts are with my fellow Queenslanders during the aftermath. And if any need accommodation check with the red cross, ses etc because a lot of us have registered with these volunteer services offering accommodation.

    • Paul C says:

      07:02am | 04/02/11

      I don’t fix really understand the point of this biased rant. Why don’t you asked the people who were in the firing line of this thing if they dodged a bullet?

      Reply

    • kyra says:

      10:34am | 04/02/11

      Paul, pretty sure Tory was referring to the fact that while many people have damage to houses property businessess etc, the most important thing is that their family is safe. Watch the interviews, people standing there saying yes we’ve lost everything but the family is safe. Possessions can be replaced people can’t.

    • Anna says:

      11:19pm | 05/02/11

      Paul, I think you and many others have completely missed the point of this ‘rant’!  It’s about the overuse of tired cliches during the recent disasters.

      Sad reflection on our education system these days, when people need everything spelled out for them!!

    • Flexo says:

      07:15am | 04/02/11

      Ask for donations vs imposing a levy/tax…..in one case I have a choice in the other I don’t. Communism isn’t the way to go dear PM even though we do know your true leanings.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      07:23am | 04/02/11

      Flexo, Nazism/fascism also isn’t the way to go!

    • TChong says:

      07:25am | 04/02/11

      Reds under the bed ?
      You olde colde war warrior , you.
      How many commies in the State Dept. Flexo ?

    • acotrel says:

      07:54am | 04/02/11

      Chongie, Mr B.A.Santamaria’s disciples are still about!

    • Ryan says:

      09:53am | 04/02/11

      @acotrel: lets never forget that Nazism/facism was born out of socialism as with every other nutjob this world has ever had to endure, every single last one of them brought to power by the left.

    • The Badger says:

      01:51pm | 04/02/11

      We all know the ultimate objective of the conservative agenda is fascism. That’s a given.
      Through their constant lies about large scale waste in addressing the GFC and BER, we can see very clearly what their strategy is and from whence it springs.

      “By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell—and hell heaven. The greater the lie, the more readily it will be believed.”
      Adolf Hitler

    • Chow wang says:

      02:23pm | 04/02/11

      @Badger,Exactly the quote concerning AGW,and the Green/labor mantra preached to the dull,the marginal and the pathetic atheist apostles of this dangerous apocalyptic cult

    • acotrel says:

      05:51pm | 04/02/11

      Ryan, socialism is also part of every democratic political system.  So your point is ?? Are you trying to justify your own self-centred, self serving way of life?

    • NESLIHAN KUROSAWA says:

      07:19am | 04/02/11

      Hi Tory,

      Especially during the times like these, it is only human nature to turn to our Leaders for answers and to show us that they really care!!  Not just band aid type solutions, but a promise that they are there with the people who suffered and lost everything.  In order to help rebuild their lives, becasue during any kind of crisis we tend seek assurance that everything will be alright once again!!  Even though it may be impossible at first.

      For me personally, words should mean something special and actions should follow accordingly as well.  The aftermath of a natural disaster is painfull enough, so we look to our Leaders to be strong, decisive and supportive of the Australian public who voted for them!!!  Our Leaders shoulds be able to show that they really care as well as being able to help to lessen the actual pain and the suffering of Quennslanders, if they can!!!!  Best regards to you editors.

      Reply

    • NESLIHAN KUROSAWA says:

      07:19am | 04/02/11

      Hi Tory,

      Especially during the times like these, it is only human nature to turn to our Leaders for answers and to show us that they really care!!  Not just band aid type solutions, but a promise that they are there with the people who suffered and lost everything.  In order to help rebuild their lives, becasue during any kind of crisis we tend seek assurance that everything will be alright once again!!  Even though it may be impossible at first.

      For me personally, words should mean something special and actions should follow accordingly as well.  The aftermath of a natural disaster is painfull enough, so we look to our Leaders to be strong, decisive and supportive of the Australian public who voted for them!!!  Our Leaders shoulds be able to show that they really care as well as being able to help to lessen the actual pain and the suffering of Quennslanders, if they can!!!!  Best regards to you editors.

      Reply

    • Super D says:

      08:01am | 04/02/11

      So you’re argument is that Yasi is just the latest in a list of overblown climate scares and that because forecasts merely hours in advance were so innaccurate we should pay no heed to their longer range guesses.

      Sensible thoughts indeed!

      Reply

    • jhm says:

      08:57am | 04/02/11

      Indeed. Most of the BOM experts agree that this was a very unusual cyclonic storm for this region - in that it was able to be relatively accurately predicted so early on in the piece.  Nearly all of the projected models from around the world agreed on how, and where, this thing would hit the coast. Let me tell you, that almost NEVER happens!! It is the only reason BOM were able to give as much warning as they did - you almost never get an official cyclone watch before a system reaches Australia’s area of responsibility. This time, we did. It was, in many aspects, the “perfect storm”, because it behaved almost precisely as predicted. It enabled people to make preparations, for evacuations to occur in the right places and at the right times. That’s what saved lives, and property. The next one, and probably the next 50, won’t be like that.

    • acotrel says:

      05:56pm | 04/02/11

      Are yoiu the sort of person who finds out of a gun is loaded by pointing it his own head and pulling the trigger? Risk has two components - likelihood, and consequences?

    • Tedd says:

      08:16am | 04/02/11

      16 comments now, and not one has picked up on Tory’s dig at cliches!!!

      and she didn’t even mention some of the more common ones - bombed, war-zone, napalmed, etc, etc

      Reply
    • Anthony Sharwood

      Anthony Sharwood says:

      08:55am | 04/02/11

      Beautiful work Tedd. Hey everyone, check what Tedd said

    • jhm says:

      08:59am | 04/02/11

      Doh! /facepalm

    • Tedd says:

      09:04am | 04/02/11

      Thanks, Anthony. 

      I had been thinking the cliches, especially the war ones were ridiculous. 

      Perhaps we could just say the most affected area has been “cycloned”, “cyclone5ed” or even “yasied”, now or in the future.

      The war analogies seem to be too Hollywood ... ??

    • Tom says:

      09:07am | 04/02/11

      Agreed, Tedd. “You da’ man. Great call Anthony.

      I had another read and thought of the inimitable Greg Champion’s “We were back in town”, “Give it a red hot go”, ....  “Take a good hard look at yourselves”.

    • Tory Shepherd

      Tory Shepherd says:

      09:50am | 04/02/11

      Oh sweet Jeebus, thanks, Tedd. I was horrified that everyone thought this was serious!

      People, this is a (clearly unsuccessful) pisstake of us, the media, and how we struggle to describe disaster.

    • Aasq says:

      09:50am | 04/02/11

      One of the truly disappointing aspects of The Punch is that despite the contributors’ very best efforts, the vast majority of commenters display no sense of humour whatsoever, apparently utterly consumed by their rabid obsessions. So, there’s plenty of laughing at, yet precious little laughing with. The comments in response to this article, as Tedd states, are a prime example.

      Personally, I’ll be giving it 110%, but taking it one game at a time.

    • Adele says:

      10:14am | 04/02/11

      I completely missed it. Bravo, Tedd, I was sitting here wondering what the point of it was!

      Tory forgot to mention all the concerned residents breathing a sigh of relief, and the outpouring of support for the state’s unsung heroes.

      It’s hard to absorb the scale of the devastation, so it’s good that a picture’s worth a thousand words. At the end of the day, only time will tell the true cost of this disaster.

    • mary says:

      10:31am | 04/02/11

      Nice going Tory, celebrating with you.

    • Towely says:

      02:33pm | 04/02/11

      Morning strategies at sussex st do not include a sense of humor as it is a free expression and is strictly prohibited,however selective self righteous indignation is a masters course and is well patronized

    • Anna says:

      11:22pm | 05/02/11

      I think it was a bit over-ambitious to expect that the average Punch reader would actually ‘get’ this article!!

    • Reggieman says:

      08:19am | 04/02/11

      I am wondering how much the ALP pays acotrel, TChong and nossy to comment here on the Punch. I might just consider switching sides if it means I can earn extra cash by just parrotting ALP propaganda. I might even be able to use the extra funds to pay for the wonderful God-sends that are the flood levy and the “we will never introduce a carbon tax” carbon tax.

      Reply

    • scaper... says:

      09:03am | 04/02/11

      Judging by the quality of the posts…nothing.

      I reckon they are on the Liberal payroll exposing the very shallow Labor propaganda. If there is a carbon tax the poorer which are Labor supporters in the main will be the ones paying for such.

      No hair shirt will ever hang in my wardrobe! Oh, I blame it on global warming.

    • nossy says:

      09:27am | 04/02/11

      @scaper - and yet my dearest scaper we have the biggest Mining Company in the World fella , BHP, urging Gillard to get on with putting a price on carbon - strange that isnt it ?

    • The Badger says:

      01:36pm | 04/02/11

      Don’t worry Reggieman
      Apply through the Liberal Party website.
      According to sources within the liberal party, I hear that Abbott will be diverting some of the levy “fighting fund” to pay conservative trolls for just that purpose.

    • MarK says:

      08:39am | 04/02/11

      “Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott put his foot in his mouth by asking for donations to fund a fight against enforced donations - but to err is human.”


      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

      As long as you point out that Labor is still asking for donations on its website presumably to prosecute a case for three new taxes this year.

      “enforced donations”

      This is the part I especially like. I will be looking with interest as to future writings where you call taxes enforced donations.

      Very droll.

      Reply

    • Tedd says:

      09:45am | 04/02/11

      This is a classic-

      X (political leader) “refused to rule out the prospect of fatalities”. 

      Huh, they are supposed to have a crystal ball on the morning after????

      Why ask the question? Why speculate?

      Reply

    • Paul Neri says:

      09:47am | 04/02/11

      I guess there’ll be “competitive suffering” now in QLD with flood vicitms miffed that the spotlight has moved on.

      Reply

    • Susie says:

      10:42am | 04/02/11

      How bout that countdown the evening shows put up too! Just a TAD insensitive to all the people who actually were trying to prepare their homes, families, lives. Oh and Karl Stefanovic etc all competing with each other on how many relatives they had living there. And who could get the wettest and most wind blasted. Love your work as always Tory - you are the media’s anti-media.

      Reply

    • Laura says:

      10:46am | 04/02/11

      .......People. She’s taking the piss. Christ. Living in a part of QLD that was hit during the floods, I will honestly be glad if I never hear the word inundated ever again.

      Reply

    • MarK says:

      11:11am | 04/02/11

      How is all that devastation going up there?

    • Laura says:

      03:14pm | 04/02/11

      The devastation is far reaching, It looks like a war zone, there is debris stewn eveywhere. But it’s okay, havent you heard? they breed us tough north of the boarder and we are all pulling together, it’s heart warming to hear all the stories of hope.

      I should write for Sunrise. wink

    • Holly says:

      10:50am | 04/02/11

      Tory - Twittersphere!  “Everyone is taking my pisstake seriously “- the link took me to this article.  I have a pretty good sense of humour so I’m told, but the big problem we have here is that your article is not actually funny!

      I don’t know where you got the information about Abbott backpedaling on Levy Nossy.  I’ve just seen him on tv media front with his totally hypocritical holier than thou butter wouldn’t melt persona trying to explain the inexplicable.  He was about to enter shadow cabinet meeting to discuss disaster response.  My main question - how big is Malcolm’s cheshire cat smile?

      Note to media - please when doing outdoor interviews could you ensure that your questions are able to be heard by viewers.  Would have thought this was an obvious requirement but apparently not.  We do not need to hear questions - just lap up the waffle.

      Reply

    • Ben81 says:

      09:35pm | 04/02/11

      “trying to explain the inexplicable.”
      Well you see Holly, just for one simple example, in light of current events it’s not exactly imperative that the NBN goes ahead exactly to schedule and the money could perhaps be better spent elsewhere right now.  A tax that doesn’t change anything to do with the cleanup and repairs but keeps a few election promises safe is kind of ... I can’t even find the word.  You can choose to agree or disagree, but it’s not really that hard to understand.

      Gee i’m good at explaining the inexplicable aren’t I, perhaps i’ll go ponder the meaning of life and get back to you on that one too.

    • n_dude says:

      11:49am | 04/02/11

      This must be the most cliche ridden article I have ever read. And what is the point?

      Reply

    • Lou says:

      03:09pm | 04/02/11

      .... I’m pretty sure the cliches WERE the point. She was taking the piss out of the media. Christ, did everyone forget to take their sense of humour pills today?!

    • Anthony Sharwood

      Anthony Sharwood says:

      03:23pm | 04/02/11

      Yep, what Lou said n_dude. See higher up the comment thread for clarification

    • DH says:

      12:27pm | 04/02/11

      Ha, brilliant! Great work, Tory. My wife and I were beginning to wonder if we were alone in our open-mouthed gapes at the recent media disaster cliches spiralling out of control.

      I think it was Today Tonight (?) and their literally ticking countdown to destruction clock that did it for me. Although if they truly have nailed such a precise early warning for impending doom, maybe I’ll start to watch it.

      Nah, I’d rather take doom.

      Reply

    • Hamlyn says:

      06:17pm | 05/02/11

      Sunrise the next morning was pathetic. I normally dont mind Grant Denya, but even my kids thought he was way too excited to find a destroyed house! He didnt even wait to see if anyone was inside hurt, before carrying on like he’d just discovered gold. Definately got the feeling they would all have been disappointed if there was no destruction. I ended up watching the Abc.

    • Ron E Coote says:

      01:06pm | 04/02/11

      Dodged a bullet… The latest overworked analogy.
      And congratulations for getting it into the piece in the very first sentence.

      Reply

    • Ron E Coote says:

      01:19pm | 04/02/11

      Oh, I have just had a catastrophic failure of understanding, in interpreting the meat of this missive.
      I must now run the gauntlet of hell, and spill my guts out to apologise for going off half-cocked.
      You may need medical assistance to extract your tongue from your cheek Tori, but to me at least, it was worth it.
      Do you write for Sunrise, by any chance?

      Reply

    • Will says:

      01:49pm | 04/02/11

      You liberal lot going on about forced donation.
      Don’t you realise that if it was unforced donations only that the amount would hardly be as much as the tax can bring about. Simply because while many people do give there are MANY people who won’t.
      This tax is for a good cause anyways and I don’t want to hear, “oh but if labor could money manage better etc we would need this tax” because you know what, we probably still would from a labor or liberal government.
      It’s annoying to hear how liberal would do this better or do that better.. well guess what your not in government so you have NO idea how liberal would handle certain situations, you have NO idea if they will be better or worse.
      Also all the captain hindsights go on about how ‘labor should have done this etc should have done that’. Are you in charge? no, you are not. Maybe you should have tried for it when you left school instead of trying to be a miserable backseat driver. Take what comes like man and do your best.

      Reply

    • Ben81 says:

      09:22pm | 04/02/11

      “so you have NO idea how liberal would handle certain situations, you have NO idea if they will be better or worse. “
      Part of the money currently budgeted to the NBN would be spent on the flood cleanup instead.  Have you been living under a rock?

    • simon says:

      02:24pm | 04/02/11

      The whole thing was a massive media beat up perpetrated by Anna Bligh. To see her up there sponging the publicity when other people should have been doing these jobs was sickening for me to see. This whole sorry affair was a perfect platform for her to improve her image through targeted publicity. I have never seen an event so politicised before. However at the end of the day Anna Bligh is still the same lying, corrupt politician she was before all this!!!!

      Reply

    • nossy says:

      02:48pm | 04/02/11

      @Simon - I think its time for you to take a Bex and have a good lie down fella ! Been in the sun a lot lately Simon ?

    • Tedd says:

      02:57pm | 04/02/11

      Conspiracy Theory of the Decade!

      Do you think Anna had anything to do with the Bali bombings or 9/11?

      Teasing people like you out of the wood-work might be called “doing a Tory”?

    • Hamlyn says:

      06:04pm | 05/02/11

      Career wise she got lucky thats for sure. I really dont think there is a decent leader at the moment so I can sort of understand why so many have blindly jumped to her defence and conveniently forgotten her track record. I think she’s taking the credit for the work done by the emergency services. Pretty sure anyone whos good at public speaking could have done her job.

    • Against the Man says:

      03:36pm | 04/02/11

      Maybe God is showing us a sign that Gillard is as incompetent as a headless monkey stuffed in a pot of sH**t!

      Reply

    • mary says:

      08:59pm | 04/02/11

      Tory, what are the chances that you get your fellow journos to never ever use the words ‘ground zero’ ever again? Where the hell is the comparison? Have they any brains at all?

      Reply

    • Mary Monica Roche says:

      10:44am | 05/02/11

      One only gets worried when Zeta and Lucy get lost for words each wednesday.

      Reply

    • Mary Monica Roche says:

      10:48am | 05/02/11

      Queensland will not get any more floods in 2011 but Victoria will do so!
      New South Wales will be flooded with State Election political pamphlets soon.

      Reply

    • Sarah Jessica Parker Smith-Jones says:

      01:43pm | 05/02/11

      @mmroche,Idiotic statement

      Reply

    • Shelley says:

      10:10pm | 05/02/11

      ha! Very clever! Every time I hear people refer to these disasters as a war zone I remember the movie line ‘I love the smell of napalm in the morning’ 
      I don’t think I’m visualising what the actual scene is.

      Reply
 
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Colgo 21 May 13 12:03PM

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