Best flood evacuation centre in Australia 2011?

Tweet sent out on 14 January 2011:

VictoriaPolice VictoriaPolice
Town of Great Western to be evacuated due to being inundated. Evac to Great Western Winery. Emergency alert will be sent to homes #vicrains

One of those great odd pics posted during the January 2011 Northern Rivers floods

Dad's found a use for this newfangled technology "colour TV"

@davcams contribution to the hysterical historical record.
Cane farmer removing flood debris from his fields

Posted on Moby Picture Nswfloods group stream

A word from Petering Time

Pete has been in contact to say he is staying north of the border for the foreseeable future to help mates rebuild after the floods and, will be exchanging PC keyboard for hammer and screwdriver.

He insists that this has been the most dramatic excuse he has ever had for not catching the biggest fish of his life.

Hopefully we will see him back home before mid-year.

Disaster-affected in Electorate of Page urged to apply for income loss payment

Because an ABC North Coast Radio segement yesterday indicated the possibility that some Centrelink staff were incorrectly telling flood victims that they were ineligible for this benefit if they had a spouse/partner earning an income, I am posting Ms. Saffin’s media release of 14 January 2011 which very clearly sets out the criteria for assistance.

If you are unsure of the advice you have received to date, make a formal verbal or written application anyway and have your own particular circumstances assessed.

Disaster-affected in Electorate of Page urged to apply for income loss payment

Member for Page Janelle Saffin MP urges people in Page Electorate who have lost their incomes as a direct result of recent natural disaster to apply for the newly activated Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy following information provided by The Hon Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Human Services and Minister for Social Inclusion.

Employees, small business owners, and farmers affected by disasters between November 29 last year and January this year, now have until February 28 this year to lodge claims for income recovery.

“The subsidy applies to eligible people all 5 Local Government Areas in the Page Electorate,” Janelle Saffin said. These LGAs are Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley Kyogle and Clarence Valley.

“It is a fortnightly payment of up to the maximum rate of existing Newstart Allowance for a period of 13 weeks.”

“The subsidy will be available to those who have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of recent disasters and are not currently receiving, or eligible for, any other income support payment.”

You are eligible for the subsidy if you:

• are 16 years of age, or older, and are not a dependent child;
• are an Australian resident and living in Australia for the period of time you receive the assistance; or a foreign national living or working in Australia at the time of the disaster and for the period of time you receive the subsidy;
• derive an income from the area affected by the disaster, or reside in the area affected by the disaster; and
• have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the disaster;
• can show evidence supporting the claimed loss of income within 28 days;
• are not currently (at the time of lodgement) receiving another income support payment or pension (such as Age Pension, Newstart Allowance, service pension from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, or Exceptional Circumstances Income Relief Payment); and
• each member of a couple must qualify in their own right.

If you are eligible you will receive:

• $469.70 per fortnight for a single adult;
• $424.00 per fortnight per adult who is a member of a couple;
• $508.20 per fortnight for a single adult with a dependent child;
• $388.70 per fortnight for a person who is under 21 years of age.

Ms Saffin said claims can be made through the Emergency Assistance Hotline on 1802266, at Centrelink offices, or online at www.centrelink.gov.au

The subsidy is in addition to the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and the joint Commonwealth/Queensland Government payments being made under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

McDonald's rubbishing Yamba in 2011 - Part Two

Photographs taken of branded litter within one metre of and one quarter of a kilometre from McDonald's fast food outlet in Treelands Drive, Yamba, 13 January 2011.

Perhaps Clarence Valley shire councillors Comben, McKenna, Howe, Dinham, and Simmons might like to recall that when considering the Yamba community's rejection of the Westlawn development application on behalf of McDonald's Australia, they dismissed the thought of any litter problem because of a promised daily 'litter patrol'.

McDonald's rubbishing Yamba in 2011 - Part One

McDonald's rubbishing Yamba in December 2010

McDonald's Yamba - only open days and the littering of surrounding streets begins

It's Idiot Hour in the 'Kingdom of God'

Yes, Kevin Rudd may be to blame for the 2011 Queensland floods, according to that beacon of rationality, Pastor Danny Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries on 8 January 2011:

Dear family & friends in Christ,

It is 11.50pm on Friday night the 7th of January. You might wonder what I am doing in my office at this time. Well we are all at the all night prayer meeting at the CTFM base. We started the prayer meeting at 7.30pm and would be finishing at 6am but this issue was so urgent, I thought I must get the info out to you as soon as possible, so that we can repent on behalf of Australia.

Around 8pm on Friday night the 7th of January we had a strong prompting by the Holy Spirit to repent on behalf of Australia. As we started doing so, I was reminded that every time America went against Israel, there was disaster in the land and this has been documented over the years.

Then at once I was reminded of Kevin Rudd speaking against Israel in Israel on 14th December 2010. It is very interesting that Kevin Rudd is from QLD. Is God trying to get our attention? Yes, I believe so.

Also the Lord said to us, “ I will humble Australia and bring her down on her knees. As she has taken pride in my blessing, and man has taken the glory and not given it to Me”.

Right now (12.30am - just after midnight) around 40 intercessors are crying out to the Lord and repenting on behalf of what Rudd has done against Israel. When I opened my email to write to you, I found the following email in my inbox and was amazed as to how God spoke to us about the same issue.

I have pasted below an article that some media are running with - BUT - only Bill Koenig has picked up the “spiritual ramifications” of this event & has been able to link it to the devastating floods in Queensland….Kevin Rudd’s home state!

Here’s the link to the original story from Bill Koenig (scroll down to find the article) http://www.watch.org/

Australia’s Rudd urged Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and open all its nuclear facilities to UN inspectors

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has wrapped up a visit to the Middle East by telling Israel it should allow UN inspectors into its nuclear facilities.

His comments on Israel’s nuclear program gave Israeli officials an unpleasant surprise, as they were published online during a gala dinner in Jerusalem marking the friendship between Australia and Israel.

In an interview with the Australian newspaper, Mr Rudd not only called on Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but said it should open all its nuclear facilities to UN inspectors.

Australia flood rescue and relief efforts are under way to deal with what officials have called a “disaster of biblical proportions.”

Australian Coastal City Bracing for More Devastating Flooding - FoxNews.com: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/04/australian-coastal-city-bracing-devastating-flooding/?test=latestnews

Zechariah 12:3,9 “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem”.

Please, Please, Please take some time to stand in the Gap for our nation Australia and repent and pray as in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14.

This is Kevin Rudd (on right) in real life during the flooding in an ABC News video here. Can’t see Nalliah anywhere.

Parts of the town of Maclean on the Clarence River are subject to an evacuation warning order

A 3.2 metre flood peak is now expected to pass through Maclean at approximately 7a.m. this morning, Thursday 13 January 2011, and this SES advisory is still active:

Flood Evacuation Warning for Low Lying Areas of Maclean

Authorised By: Caroline Ortel – Operations Controller - 12 January 2011, 6:32pm

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted that the Clarence River will peak at Maclean near 3.2 metres tomorrow (Thursday 13 January) morning. The State Emergency Service recommends that residents within the low lying areas of Maclean in River Street, McLachlan Street, John Street, Iona Close, Howard Street, Argyle Street, Bakers Lane, Rannoch Street, Dwartes Lane, Rush Lane, Hogues Lane and Central Avenue should be prepared to evacuate in the next 12 hours.

Residents should monitor the situation and be prepared to evacuate if instructed to do so. A Flood Evacuation Order will be issued by the SES if evacuation is required.

An evacuation centre will be established at Maclean Showground Pavilion where you can obtain temporary accommodation and other help. Alternatively you can also choose to go to friends or relatives.

To prepare for possible evacuation you should:

•Raise belongings by placing them on tables, beds and benches. Put electrical items on top. You may be able to place light weight items in the roof space.
•Collect together medicines, personal and financial documents, mementos and photos
•If possible, check to see if your neighbours need help
•Make arrangements for care of pets or other animals, or take your pets with you when you evacuate
•Be prepared to take three days’ supply of clothing and medicines
•Find out where to turn off the electricity and gas
•Continue to listen to a local radio station for updates
Don’t walk ride or drive through floodwaters – this is the main cause of death and injury during floods

For emergency assistance telephone the SES on 132 500

Web site: www.ses.nsw.gov.au

Mark Bellamy's most recent flood photos here.

UPDATE:

Flood peak passed through Maclean early this morning at approximately 0.6m below levee height so evacuation warning was withdrawn.

Peak passed though Yamba without incident during a low-tide period, but the town is still cut-off. Clarence Valley Council has opened a temporary 'base' in Treelands Drive Community Centre, Yamba, Ph: 6643.0200

Australia - not loving it at the moment

Sure we’ll all love this Dorothy Mackellar poem again in about a month’s time.

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Waterlogged from Grafton NSW

The NSW North Coast in flood pictures this week

Images top to bottom:
NSW Premier's helicopter inspecting the Clarence Valley
Grafton Bridge over the Clarence River
Lavender Bridge, Bellingen Valley
View from Tabulam Bridge, Clarence Valley
Tabulam SES workers
Clarence Sailing Club, Grafton
Ferry Park, Maclean
Orara River, Clarence Valley catchment

From photogalleries of the Northern Star, ABC News, Northern Rivers Echo, Jane Beeby at Flickr and ratis 100.