The Network: Floods

Showing posts with label Floods. Show all posts

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Victorian Wind Alliance; Extreme Weather; Zero Emissions; Rode RAGE

The following letter has come to me via Andrew Bray formerly of 100% Renewables and now of the Victorian Wind Alliance. VicWind can be followed on Twitter with @VicWindAll and on Facebook.

It is written to Catherine King, the Federal Member for Ballarat.

Dear Catherine,

As you may have seen from our Facebook/website updates, our Khmer Rode RAGE group have returned safely to Australia and doubly motivated to contribute to a more sustainable and just world.

The sights we saw and the people we met have impacted greatly on our group and to return home to Australia and be greeted with floods and bushfires and storms and the announcement of an upcoming election (the first for many in our group who are 18-21) has sharpened our curiosity and so the group has asked me to pose some questions to you as our Federal representative. We would be happy to speak to you in person or would also be happy with an e mail response if that were more convenient for you…we are sure you are a busy lady and are appreciative of the time and support you have given our team in the past.

We are aware that there have always been floods and storms and droughts and bushfires in Australia, but as we understand it, in the past 10 years Australia has experienced the worst ever drought, the worst ever bushfires, the worst ever floods and the most severe ever cyclones…all in the same decade. Also as we understand it, Australian’s are the biggest per capita greenhouse emitters on the planet and fast climbing the ladder of total emissions as well, especially when the coal that we export to other countries is taken into account. And as we have just witnessed, despite the destruction of the past years within Australia caused by extreme weather events, Australians are not the ones paying the most immediate or significant penalties for our emissions, but it is our global neighbours those in developing nations and wildlife that are most severely and directly affected…. For hundreds of millions, it is literally a daily matter of life and death.

And so our questions are:

1. Does the Federal Government take the costs associated with extreme weather events into account when calculating the costs of fossil fuel generated energy?

2. If so, how?

3. Is there any economic sense in which such events can be seen as “mini stimulus packages”, providing employment for lots of builders, garbage contractors, insurance assessors etc??

4. Is the Federal Government aware of the plan developed by Beyond Zero Emissions (beyondzeroemissions.org ) to have Australia 100% zero emissions within 10 years??

5. This seems to us a very credible plan, developed by very credible and knowledgeable people…. Could please explain why it hasn’t been adopted as federal policy?

6. Given that, by definition, Australia has to transition away from fossil fuels at some point, do we need to burn all of the existing fossil fuel reserves before we make the transition to 100% renewable energy??

Thanks again for all your past support of our program and we very much look forward to discussing/reading your answers to our questions.

Best wishes,

Tony Davidson

Rode RAGE

Friday, 22 June 2012

Political prisoners in Pakistan : climate change and textile workers

Emergency speakout for jailed Pakistani activists

Free Baba Jan & the Hunza 5!

Political prisoners of the climate change crisis

Wednesday, June 27, 12:30-1:30pm.

Cnr Bourke & Swanston Sts, Melbourne.

Baba Jan is a Pakistani activist from a community that has fallen victim to climate change. He is also a victim of the 'War on Terror'. In January 2010 several communities were engulfed by flooding and landslides in the Hunza River valley, in the remote Himalayan Pakistani-administered territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. These floods and landslides were the result of deforestation, soil erosion and climate change.

The lake was formed by a landslide in January 2010

in Gojal Hunza, Hunza, Pakistan

In 2011 Baba Jan, a member of the Labour Party Pakistan, was involved in organising protests demanding compensation for effected communities. Police repression of these protests included the shooting of two villagers (a father and son).

In the aftermath, Baba Jan and four others were arrested and charged under Pakistan's Anti-Terror Laws. On April 28, Baba Jan was taken from his cell by elite security agencies and has since been subjected to beatings and torture.

Others charged under Pakistan's Anti-Terror Laws include the Faisalabad 6, who led a textile workers' strike, and textile worker unionists in Karachi. The Pakistani state's contribution to the 'War on Terror' also includes disappearing hundreds of civilians in border regions and collaborating with US drone strikes.

This speakout is part of an international week of action. For further background see Urgent appeal for Baba Jan, prisoner of climate change and Pakistan: International week of action for the release of Baba Jan. Sponsored by Socialist Alliance, Industrial Workers of the World (Melbourne), Socialist Alternative. Other endorsements welcome. For more info ph Tony 0437 237 010.

Sunday, 15 January 2012

HELP NEEDED: Indigenous people on Mindanao in The Philippines displaced by floods

Information below comes from my friends at the Women's Interfaith Network Foundation.

From: b.b.enterprises@hotmail.com
Subject: FW: YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP A LOT TO THE DYING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES update
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:31:08 +1100

Hi All

PLEASE FORWARD THROUGH TO YOUR NETWORKS AND I ask /appeal for assistance with this project,

See message below from Pauline Crosbie.

Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:27:36 -0800
From: hmtli.tribe@yahoo.com
Subject: YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP A LOT TO THE DYING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
To: b.b.enterprises@hotmail.com

Dear Madam

Greetings from the Indigenous peoples in the Mindanao Philippines!

We are blest and great that you were showing us your mercy and compassion. We were really devastated by the horrible typhoon that claims thousands of lives, destroyed farms and homeless. Before, we really lost our hopes to survive and we were the most ignored and neglected people.

As we were hit by the calamity, people were shouting their voices to the kind giver who really share their blessings. We really happy about your abrupt response. If you have some help, whether, foods, school supplies and other donations that help the tribe that would be very much appreciated.

Our farms were destroyed, we hope that if you have project for food security for the rehabilitation of thier livelihhod that would so good to start our journey of living.

Anything that you want to help us that would be welcome ,for the benefits of the Indigenous Peoples to stand.

We hope your kind response

Respectfully,

DATU LANELIO T. SANGCOAN

HMTLI CC Chairman

website: www.higaononmigsabuwa.wordpress.com

email: hmtli.tribe@yahoo.com

" Responding the Needs of the Indigenous Peoples"

________________

For your consideration, i am going to send A NUMBER OF shipments /AND FUNDS and need all the support i can get ..... and request as many hands, any support on deck as possible to ensure success of these efforts for these most in need peoples,

Mike /Avraham can we work with your schools ? We need AT LEAST two schools to assist with the location of the containers,

I am putting some systems in place at the Philippines end, with mission activity already there, any suggestions greatly appreciated, any fund-raising also appreciated, there is great suffering

Maya, please can we discuss a WAY TO CREATE long term plans to support the village development, What support/CONNECTIONS can you give ?

blessings and love

yours IN HOPE.

Pauline Crosbie

Funds /Donations can be sent to Po box 263 Olinda,VIC

cheques /money orders made out to PROJECT Mindanao

Receipt on request can be given.

I AM WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE GRASSROOTS.

Further reading:
MindaNews: Mindanao floods: unprepared for the worst
UNICEF responds to Minanao floods
Philippines flood: Plan responds to the worst-hit areas
Urgent appeal from flood-torn Mindanao

Internally displaced people - Mindanao

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

A scoping report: Socio-economics of flooplain agriculture in the Murray-Darling Basin

In addition, it would be most informative if you visited this blog:
Western Rivers Carer

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Flood reflections : Qld's Commission of Inquiry : Articles : Donate #qldfloods #ozfloods

Picture from here

It is time for reflection about floods. In Queensland, Anna Bligh has announced a Commission of Inquiry to forensically examine Queensland's unprecedented flood disaster. Download the Terms of Reference below.

It is not only Queensland who is reflecting. Over at On Line Opinion they are in reflective mood too with the offering of articles below:

Queensland Floods leave lives & property in ruins. Qld - like the Maroons - gets up & goes for it. #qldfloods #recovery

Picture from here

I want us to remember who we are.

We are Queenslanders.

We're the people that they breed tough,

north of the border.

We're the ones that they knock down,

and we get up again.

Anna Bligh,

Premier of Queensland.

She said this on the morning

of 13 January 2011

as she held back tears.

Queensland floods : #reconstruction : local govt #qldfloods #localgovt

Map from here

Go here for more maps

Anna Bligh, Premier of Queensland has announced that Queensland's post-flood reconstruction will be of post-war proportions.

In the Australian context, I am reminded of the Department of Post-War Reconstruction which was established during World War II and which undergirded post-war prosperity and innovation. This led me to consider that such widespread and diverse reconstruction demands a sound organisational basis. In short, from the base at the bottom to the highest levels of command and leadership people have to be able to act and administer in an organised and straightforward way.

Map from here

where you will be able to adjust resolution

And what is the very basis of community organisation in Australia? Local Government.

I have worked in local government in each of the three eastern states and have worked close to local government in the Northern Territory. I consider local government to be at its strongest in Queensland. This has been the case for a long, long time. However, a few years ago the then Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, controversially decided to amalgamate local councils. Such changes are rarely achieved smoothly and caused a great deal of angst locally. I believe that Queensland is about to see the benefit of these amalgamations.

When one sees Queensland mayors speaking for their cities and regions, these mayors are speaking for large areas.

Most significant of these, of course, is the Brisbane City Council. It is unlike no other local authority in Australia. When I was growing up, Brisbane was the largest city in the world - because of its system of governance. I watch Can Do Campbell speaking for Brisbane and I wonder who would speak for all of Sydney or all of Melbourne in such circumstances. The mayors of Sydney and Melbourne speak for the central parts of the greater areas of what is known as Sydney and Melbourne. Outside these central parts are all sorts of tiny councils. Some of these councils have themselves come about through amalgamations of even smaller councils - but amalgamations have not occurred in the metropolitan areas in any ways that match what Brisbane did long ago in 1925.

In fact, my view is that local government in New South Wales and Victoria is markedly weaker than Queensland. State Governments can sack local councils but, at times, it seems like NSW and Victoria keep their councils on a roller blind. I believe the reason for stronger local government in Queensland is the example of local government and its operation in Brisbane.

Mayors are directly elected in Queensland and the Northern Territory - compared to Victoria where councillors are elected for one year terms by other councillors which, in those local councils of which I have experience, means that councillors tend to "take turns" at being mayor. My suspicion is that this is a device that suits the powers-that-be in Spring Street because it makes it difficult for a capable mayor with power and community respect in his or her own right to become established and thus any political threat in the suburbs is diminished.

In the weeks ahead, I think it will be easier for Queensland to organise its reconstruction than it otherwise might have been prior to local government amalgamations. Peter Beattie's controversial amalgamation could well prove to be a prophetic move.

Further reading:

Queensland faces two-year rebuild

Comprehensive Commonwealth assistance to rebuild after Queensland floods

Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Qld Floods : RED rain : refugee chooks #qldfloods #animals

Picture from here

I have a friend living at Theodore in Queensland. She is back in touch and I sense that we are going to get daily chook reports. As you will see from the latest messages. However, in one interchange I had to ask her to explain what RED rain was, which she had mentioned, is. Here is her reply. BOM is the Bureau of Meterology.

In terms of colours the BOM uses, RED is the third heaviest of Rain. If someone says to you Red rain, that means very heavy rain.

Have checked her Facebook photos. No chooks in sight ... yet

Postscript 9.45am 4/1/11
Friend has just been in contact as follows:

should be up 2morrow. hear cackling so should be some eggs. G is fascinated with his "girls". I keep reminding him when they eventually go, we will not be getting any of our own. Not now or ever! Chook feed brings mice and snakes love choo...k eggs. We were on the verandah a couple of nights ago, I thought we were storm watching, I said have a shower and let's do tea early. No G wanted to stay, I said watching a storm? No, I want to watch the chooks! The rain has definately entered his brain. Thank goodness work has resumed for him today and I am having a person free day.

More about the chooks

fancy the chooks coming by boat, then off loaded to a ute for the drive further up to Malakoff. I can see below where the chooks used to live, it is like Sydney Harbour. They were found on a header (grain harvester). They came in a big cage.... One got out first day and Dakota had to involve himself and managed to pull out a few feathers before chook escaped. G went searching, "oh the chook will be sick" he says, could not find chook, then he looked into Lavender bush, there is Chook hiding, nothing wrong except scared of Dakota.

Saturday, 18 December 2010

Baywatch - the agspoof: Floods and foolin' 'round in Oz. #agchatoz #weather #floods

Denis from The Nature of Robertson hat-tipped me to this. He says:

This came to me, courtesy of the Great Artesian Basin Protection Group Facebook site,
including Heath and Anne Kennedy.
Well done, everybody.
It makes me proud to see people enjoying themselves like this
in the face of floods.

And every good movie has to have a review, doesn't it?

Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Film night to raise funds for TEAR’s Pakistan Flood Relief fund

OSAMA - Inspired by a true story, this film which centres on three generations of women, deeply affected by the advent of the Taliban's rule in their land. "Osama," is a Golden Globe award winning film. It was the first feature film to be made in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Some review comments: “a powerful film”…. “ offers valuable insights into a foreign culture that few of us have more than a cursory knowledge about” …. “great films like Osama, thoughtfully considered, give us the ability to withhold blanket judgments and come that much closer to the truth”
· Note: The film is rated M. It is not suitable for children under 15 years of age.

Picture from here

· John Tresidder is TEAR’s Pakistan coordinator. He will have been back from Pakistan from less than one week. He will give an up-to-date description of the post-flood situation in Pakistan, how TEAR is involved in the re-development of communities and how future funds will be spent.

· Pakistan Christian Fellowship has kindly offered to supply supper for the evening, so there will be plenty of tasty snacks to enjoy during the evening.
· Suggested donation: $15 (all funds go to TEARs Pakistan and North India Flood Appeal)

WHO:

ETAG (Eastern TEAR Action Group) are organising the night.

WHERE:
Blackburn South.

Because this is being held at a private address,

Miss Eagle is not including this in the post.

If you are keen to come and need more information,

please email misseaglesnetwork(at)gmail(dot)com.

WHEN:

Saturday 20 November, 7:30pm – 10pm

WHY:

“In the past I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this”

(UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon).

In the worst flooding in 80 years, up to 2.6 million people in Pakistan have been made homeless. The waters have swept through 124 districts and have led to the widespread loss of houses, crops and livestock, as well as civil infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water and irrigation systems and schools. While the world’s media has largely moved on from the situation in Pakistan, the reality of re-building from one of the worst natural disasters in history continue for millions of people. This night will help raise much needed funds as well as provide an opportunity to hear an on-ground account of the current situation.

NOTE:

BYO Bean bag or comfy cushion (not essential but will help with seating arrangements!)