During the floods of January last year, 15 000 houses were inundated after the flood gates were opened at the giant Wivenhoe dam near Brisbane. The State Labor Govt. of Queensland has refused to accept liability (typical politicians!) and called for an $18 million inquiry with a female judge.
The inquiry was covered comprehensively by The Australian Newspaper which said it had not revealed certain truths. After the media revealed there was skullduggery going on, the premier cleverly extended the inquiry.
The Queensland government should have come right out after the floods and immediately assessed the compensation for residents and business owners in Brisbane and Ipswich –many of whom have lost everything. And there have been many suicides and mental problems resulting from the flood.
STOP PRESS: Yesterday the Premier issued a 30 000 -word statement which said she had nothing to do with the decision-making re- the dam and the release of the water on January 10 last year. Cunning damage control perhaps, but her Cabinet was up to their eyeballs in water storage and water policy subsequent to certain false ‘prophesies’ that said Queensland was going into a prolonged drought. It has been said they are now looking for scapegoats. But the buck stops at Bligh’s desk.
The poor Engineers were operating under policy and orders with the water release strategies and are now in the firing line, while the Labor government seeks to set up discrete denial distance from the issue. The whole sad issue including the obfuscation by the Inquiry and Bligh’s damage control is, singularly, the most disgraceful event in Queensland’s political history.
Warren James
