Posted on 01/12/2011 11:39:37 PM PST by naturalman1975
AUSTRALIA hasn't accepted search and rescue assistance from other countries following the Queensland floods because it's a world leader in disaster management, the federal government says.
Offers of operational assistance have come in from around the globe, but so far the Gillard government has accepted help only from close neighbour New Zealand.
A 15-member civilian emergency response team has travelled across the Tasman and is now on the ground in Queensland. A team of 60 NZ firies will also be heading to the flood-ravaged state within days.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd says one of the worst things Australia could have done was accept "a whole lot of uncoordinated delivery of stuff from around the globe plonked on your doorstep".
"It's far better to work within the systems that we've got," Mr Rudd said.
"Here in Australia we do have one of the best systems for natural disaster management that you'll find anywhere in the world, and that's because we are a sunburnt country full of drought and flooding rains and we're used to it."
Many of Australia's own defence force personnel have come off leave to help in the flood-devastated regions of Queensland. There are over 400 defence personnel on the ground.
Some 120 soldiers are working as an "emergency company" in the devastated Lockyer Valley searching for bodies.
Nineteen army helicopters and 17 Bushmaster vehicles are also involved in that operation.
....
Offers of general assistance have been made by countries including Britain, the United States, Spain, Japan and Singapore.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
The Foreign Minister is waxing lyrical.
The Foreign Minister is waxing lyrical.
If you see your brother standing by the road...
You’ve got to try a little kindness...
I can understand Oz wanting to do it on her own. Still, we’re here if you need any help, friends.
Wonderful poem.
If anyone is interested in making a financial donation, it appears that the Queensland government has put a page up at http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html explaining how to do so. At the bottom of that page it indicates that AUD $45,488,444 have already been donated to the effort.
A list of the larger donors can be found here. The current list shown on that page is:
Major donations received ------------------------ Commonwealth Bank $1,350,000 Coles $1,000,000 Queensland Government $1,000,000 Etihad Airways $1,000,000 TABCorp $1,000,000 XSTRATA Queensland $1,000,000 Rio Tinto $700,000 ANZ Bank $500,000 Mitsubishi Development $500,000 National Australia Bank $350,000 Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group $250,000 Brisbane Airport Corporation $250,000 Macarthur Coal $250,000 Queensland Gas Company Ltd $250,000 Virgin Blue Group $250,000 Glencore International $250,000 Westpac $200,000 Victorian State Government $200,000 Birch Carroll and Coyle $100,000 BM Alliance Coal $100,000 BP Finance Ltd $100,000 Brambles $100,000 Downer EDI Ltd $100,000 Honda Foundation $100,000 Incitec Pivot Limited $100,000 ING Direct $100,000 Sanofi-Aventis $100,000 SCOA $100,000 Wilson Asset Management $100,000 XXXX Brewery $100,000 Minerals and Metals Group Australia $80,000 Billabong $50,000 Credit Union Australia $50,000 John Holland $50,000 Queensland Nickel Pty Ltd $50,000 Realestate.com $50,000 Registered Clubs $50,000 Sunwater $50,000 The Decor Corporation $50,000 Whitbread Insurance Brokers $50,000 Winning Appliances $50,000 NACAP Australia $25,000 Spotlight Pty Ltd $25,000 Bow Energy Ltd $25,000 Alspec $20,000 Glen Cameron Group $20,000 Hume Doors and Timber $20,000 Sheldon & Hammond Pty Ltd $20,000 Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union $15,000 Swedish Match Australia $15,000 Williams Hall Chadwick $10,200 Arlec Australia $10,000 Armstrong Tyres $10,000 Australian Council of Trade Unions $10,000 Australian Pacific Coal $10,000 Best and Less $10,000 Billeroy Farms $10,000 Blundstone Boots $10,000 Commerpropein $10,000 Campbell Brothers Ltd $10,000 Castlereagh Imaging $10,000 Devine Ltd $10,000 DHL $10,000 Eaton Industries $10,000 Electrotech $10,000 Hydro Tasmania $10,000 Jumbo Interactive $10,000 Mini-Tankers Australia $10,000 Knappick Foundation $10,000 Nettleton Tribe $10,000 Pro Music Australia $10,000 Pulse Health Group $10,000 The Plant Management Company $10,000 Tudville Pty Ltd $10,000 Stanmore Coal $10,000 Uplift Crane Hire Pty Ltd $10,000 Queensland X-Ray $10,000 7-Eleven Stores $10,000 WHK Group Ltd $10,000 Woollahra Municipal Council $10,000 Major donations committed ------------------------- Commonwealth Government $1,000,000 BHP Billiton $1,000,000 New South Wales Government $1,000,000 Origin Energy $1,000,000 Telstra $1,000,000 Victorian State Government $800,000 AFL $500,000 Northern Territory Government $500,000 Qantas $500,000 Holden $350,000 Bank of Queensland $250,000 David Jones $250,000 News Ltd $250,000 Peabody Energy $250,000 St.George Bank $250,000 Stockland $250,000 Sunday Mail $250,000 Bunnings $225,000 Boyd and Associates Townsville $200,000 Harvey Norman $200,000 Pratt Foundation $200,000 Anglo American $100,000 Arrow Energy Ltd $100,000 Australia Post $100,000 Australian Women's Weekly $100,000 Hyundai $100,000 McCullough Robertson Lawyers $100,000 Santos $100,000 Suncorp $100,000 Target $100,000 Thiess $100,000 Vodafone $100,000 PFD Foods Services $75,000 Super Cheap Auto $70,000 Boral $50,000 Car Sales $50,000 Chinese Red Cross $50,000 Crazy Johns $50,000 Independent Distillers $50,000 Just Group $50,000 McDonalds $50,000 Pauls Milk $50,000 Sizzler $50,000 Brisbane Broncos $25,000 Dick Smith $25,000 Adam Scott Foundation $20,000 Brisbane Airport Link $20,000 Triple M $20,000 Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation $15,000 Australian Medical Association (Qld) $10,000 Queensland Former Origin Greats $10,000 General Electric $10,000
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