When Reality Turns To Hell

Just over a year ago, I wrote a post from the heart. For Dolly Everett, a fourteen-year-old from Queensland who had committed suicide. The bullies who broke her spirit were not directly responsible for her death. Depression killed her. She was just a young girl who could not navigate a path for herself apart from death. She left a devastated family and local community.

I was enraged. The words poured out of me. How had this come to pass? For a brief period, there was a furious flurry of activity throughout the media. Then, what could have become a defining moment for a vast injection into the mental health services for all Australians, quietly sank without trace.

I have just re-read the post for Dolly. Children are still committing suicide. There is a chasm of chaos and loss that needs urgent attention. Why can't state and federal parliaments, government agencies and other similar organisations recognise this situation as an emergency and act accordingly?

Today,  I am seething with anger at another horrendous situation. The monsoon event in North and Western Queensland has wiped some pastoral stations off the face of the earth. There has been record flooding in Townsville as well, but the coverage has been slanted to show more of the city and less of the heartbreak occurring inland.

I think that three people have died in the Townsville flood. Tragic, horrible and heartrending for their families and friends.

But the flood occurring over the pastoral areas (which is visible from space) is a monster. Yesterday, I viewed an album created by Jacqueline Curley. Her station, Gipsy Plains, is a Brahman stud in the Cloncurry area. I nearly didn't open the photographs as I glimpsed a few dead cattle on the screen, and like most people, I hate to see animals who have suffered.

I persevered and clicked to open. The full horror whacked me in the face. Many of these animals had not drowned, which had been my immediate presumption. They died through exposure. They had huddled together against the flood and winds and died as a result. They had been trapped in mud. They had lost half their body weight through lack of feed and trying to stay alive. As I clicked through the images, I became aware that this was an unprecedented weather event that had killed thousands upon thousands of livestock and native animals.

The ironic tragedy is that the cattle at Gipsy Plains had survived the drought, only to be massacred by storm.

What has increased my rage is the rate of response. This is a mammoth Cyclone Tracey. This is a disaster beyond comprehension. While Canberra parliamentarians are focusing on saving their skins for a federal election, these people need assistance now.

I have messaged Jacqueline to ask her what kind of help she requires at Gipsy Plains I have heard there is some hay being delivered by plane, by helicopter, by truck. Queensland newspapers have been tardy and slow in their reporting.

This is what I imagine the pastoralists need. An immediate mass arrival of the defence forces - planes, trucks, helicopters and personnel. With an appropriate team to coordinate a rapid response. Feed for the remaining cattle. Veterinary supplies and vets to aid the remaining cattle. Anybody with the skill set required to become immediately available to assist in the disposal of the animals, the mending of roads, fencing and other infrastructure. Every politician regardless of state or federal, conservative or Labor should be up to date with this catastrophe and use their contacts in transport or logistics or feed to aid all those in need. Banks to provide emergency funds. Centrelink to provide emergency funds. Minimal red tape. Free, available and ongoing trauma counselling.

Volunteering should be a national strategy, with a living wage to support the workforce for as long as is needed. We are getting to the point in this country that those who volunteer need to be compensated for their efforts. We will, unfortunately, see more events like this due to Climate Change. So we need short and long term strategies.

Which will do nothing for the Queensland pastoralists under siege now. Somebody needs to step up now. Today. We need a leader to stop politicking and start working for us all.

I'm over the current crop of self-centred, self-interested losers. If we had the time, I'd sack the lot of them and start again.

It's time for someone to stand up.

And for God's sake, don't send them Barnaby...

Apparently, the Premier was half right...

The wanton stupidity of some media...

How about we get them some help as well!