Like many people, I have spent the last few days being completely amazed by the scale of the QLD floods. I've been clogging up the phone lines to talk to my brother and find out how many cups of tea he has had since leaving the Brisbane CBD two days ago to the safety of his apartment high on the hill. It was a relief to hear this morning that Brisbane seems to have been spared the worst case scenario (and I will try my best to make this point without mentioning the year of '1974'). My thoughts are very much with people who have lost family and friends in the most shocking of ways.
And then there is Julia G.
It just doesn't seem to be getting any easier for her to make her mark. This footage posted on the ABC today surely does not help: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/01/12/3111660.htm.
There we have K-Rudd, wearing the standard Prime Ministerial 'Natural Disaster Attire' (how did Julia possibly miss this memo?), knee deep in flood waters, sweating real sweat, carrying the suitcases of the 'good people' of his electorate. It was great footage. I must admit it did remind me a little bit of when Sean Penn insisted on going to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in his little tinny that actually had no room for victims due to large film crew and makeup people. But back to Kevin - he just keeps on getting better. He seems to be approaching his strongest Prime Ministerial years - if only for that small inconvenient fact that he got rolled. The great thing about the Member for Griffith however is that he seems unbothered by the technicality. He is getting the good press, he is getting his hands and feet wet with mucky brown flood water and he is in his element as a Queenslander. And he has now shown his bare legs from the knee down to the people of Australia. Not a care in the world! Or at least - nothing to lose. It must be almost a little bit fun.
Anna Bligh is rocking it as the politician who became human and in turn a leader - as the situation required. She also got the memo on Disaster-Wear. Was that Julia G I saw in the background of Anna's press conference yesterday nodding her head (position normally reserved for person known as "Who the hell is that?").
Oh dear.
Deary me.
Some of the interviews with people who experienced the floods directly have been very moving and raw. So much so that I felt uncomfortable watching this person experience the shock and emotion of whatever it was they went through. But - in order to keep that newsreel turning, journos have had to delve beyond the directly relevant and prostitute the mic to other citizens who just had something to say.
Anything, really. Eg:
" There is just so much water!" - Blank Citizen just wanting to get on the telly.
" I am having a lot of fun just watching all the debris go down the river." - Silly Citizen
" Like, we have to leave." - 20-something female Citizen about to get flooded (but after she had updated her FB status).
"Once in a lifetime!" - Citizen with camera who did not seem to realise the flood was lapping at her feet.
"I don't know any of them." - Trusting Citizen re. people who 'helped' her carry all her assets to dry land.
"Yeah, I'm just doing my bit to help out." - 'Anthony', Citizen with row boat and very toned arms who somehow got the attention of Ch. 7 lady and gave her a film crew a ride.
Editor's note: Appeared that 'Anthony' would not have had room for anyone else on boat due to film crew and gushing reporter - see above comments re. Sean Penn.
And:
"We are safe here and having a good time." - Larry Emdur (Ch. 7) at cafe in Brisbane.
No comment.
Except that Larry is a tossbag.
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