1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: Bungelung Calcottin woman from Gadighl Country. The Daily oz acknowledges 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to the 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present. 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily os It's Tuesday, 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 2: the nineteenth of December. 9 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 3: I'm Zara, I'm Sam. 10 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 2: The aftermath of x Tropical Cyclone Jasper in far North 11 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 2: Queensland has led to the region's worst flooding crisis on record. 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 2: Flood levels in the Daintree River reached fifteen meters on Monday, 13 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 2: while in Cans levels have now exceeded the previous flood 14 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 2: record set in nineteen seventy seven. It's all happening during 15 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 2: a new premier's first few days on the job. 16 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: There is a serious weather emergency playing out right now 17 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: as we speak, and it's likely to continue. 18 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 2: Over the last seven We've seen over twenty one of 19 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: our gauges record over a meter of rainfall. From evacuation 20 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: warnings to emergency rescues and inundated homes. We're going to 21 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: bring you up to speed on everything you need to 22 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 2: know in the deep dive. Before we get there, though, 23 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: sam what's making headlines. 24 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,199 Speaker 3: New legislation will be introduced to further regulate how tech 25 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 3: companies like Google and Meta distribute news content on their platforms. 26 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 3: Since the News Bargaining Code was implemented in twenty twenty one, 27 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 3: Google and Meta have reached voluntary agreements with multiple news 28 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 3: media organizations to pay these outlets because they are hosting 29 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 3: their content. A review into the agreement made several recommendations 30 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 3: which the government supports, including giving the AH Triple C 31 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 3: powers to monitor how news content is being distributed on 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 3: these platforms and if news organizations are being properly compensated 33 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 3: for sharing the content. 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: Australia has recorded its deadliest year on the road since 35 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen. In the twelve months to November one, two 36 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty three people died on Australian roads. New 37 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: South Wales had the highest number of road deaths three 38 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty four people in the past year. Federal 39 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,679 Speaker 2: Transport Minister Catherine King has urged the public to take 40 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 2: it easy on the roads and to drive with care. 41 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: This holiday season. 42 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 3: Nine workers have died and several have been injured after 43 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 3: a blast at an explosives factory in the Indian state 44 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 3: of Maharashtra. The factory is run by Solar Industries and 45 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 3: explosives manufacturer. The state government and Solar Industries have agreed 46 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 3: to compensate the families of the workers who. 47 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 2: Died and the good news. A national breeding program in 48 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: the US has led to the birth of an African 49 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: elephant calf, and this species is endangered. Weighing just shy 50 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 2: of one hundred kilograms, Baby Cora is spending time bonding 51 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: with her mum at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida. She'll 52 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 2: be monitored by vets and expert keepers before the pair 53 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 2: are ready to join the rest of the herd. 54 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 3: So Zara talk about a big first week on the job. 55 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 3: It's been a huge couple of days for Queensland's new Premier, 56 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: Stephen Miles. There's this flash flooding crisis unfolding in far 57 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 3: North Queensland exactly so. 58 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: Stephen Miles was sworn in as Queensland's premiere on Friday 59 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: and needed a very very busy weekend. He spent the 60 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,679 Speaker 2: weekend in talks with emergency responders and leaders from around 61 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 2: these flood inundated towns of far North Queensland, so places 62 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 2: like cans Port, Douglas and around the Dane Tree. 63 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 3: And the language very much is around that flooding. It's 64 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 3: around this idea of flash flooding worst ever. But a 65 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 3: couple of days ago it was around the cyclone Jasper. 66 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: How did we get here? 67 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: It's pretty remarkable how quickly these disasters have led to 68 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: more disasters. So last week, ex Tropical cyclone Jasper made 69 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 2: landfall in far North Queensland, and of course with it 70 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: came very strong winds and very heavy rainfall, left around 71 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 2: forty thousand homes and businesses without electricity and around a 72 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 2: dozen people had to be rescued. But the worst of 73 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 2: Jasper has actually been felt in its wake, and that's 74 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: because of rainfall in the days since, which has caused, 75 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: as you said, widespread flooding. Now we're talking about meters 76 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: of rain in just a few days, with a situation 77 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 2: that's evolved really really rapidly, and it's presented significant challenges 78 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: for emergency surfaces who were already dealing with cycling Jasper. 79 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, they were on the scene trying to restore power 80 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 3: and clear debris from that cyclone, and that's when the 81 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 3: rain hit. So how did that intensify the situation in 82 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 3: far North Queensland. 83 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,679 Speaker 2: So after Jasper made landfall, we saw strong winds damage 84 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 2: homes and buildings, We saw trees being ripped from the ground, 85 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: debris blocked roads and down power lines. Very familiar images 86 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: from these sorts of weather patterns. But clean up efforts 87 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: were essentially put on hold, including things like restoring power, 88 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 2: because the situation has been too dangerous for. 89 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 3: Cruise and that's because of the flooding exactly. 90 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 2: So as of Monday, there were twenty thousand people still 91 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: with no electricity. On Sunday, Queensland Police said there were 92 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 2: more than two hundred and fifty assisted rescues and more 93 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 2: than three hundred calls to triple zero. 94 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 3: And there's been some remarkable satellite imagery of big highways 95 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 3: collapsed or underwater, and in some cases it's those highways 96 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 3: that are connecting communities as the only way in our 97 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 3: out What do we know about isolated communities in the region. 98 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: So authorities flagged very major concerns for communities further north 99 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 2: of Cans that became extremely isolated after huge downpaurs on 100 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: Sunday and then overnight into Monday. This was in the 101 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 2: remote First Nations community of wood Job, Woodjoll and surrounding areas, 102 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: where water moved incredibly quickly, forcing people onto their rooftops 103 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 2: after buildings were entirely submerged underwater. At the time of recording, 104 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 2: authorities were working to evacuate the entire area by plane. 105 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 3: Who are those authorities like? Who are the main players 106 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 3: from a disaster response perspective on the ground. 107 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: Well, we've seen a combined response, I'd say so. We've 108 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 2: got Queensland Police working together with Fire and Emergency Services 109 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 2: and State Emergency Services as well as the Australian Defense Force, 110 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 2: all of them working together to evacuate residents to safety 111 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 2: however they can, whether that be by plane, by boat, 112 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 2: whatever they can do. But there have been complexities at 113 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 2: every stage of this. There have been visibility issues that 114 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 2: have made aerial rescues really dangerous. Rescue by boat in 115 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 2: floodwaters is of course dangerous for many reasons, but in 116 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 2: far North Queensland, crews and evacuees have to also worry 117 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 2: about floodwaters that are full of crocodiles on. 118 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 3: Top of everything. There there were some already some videos 119 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 3: coming out of that, and so you said that this 120 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 3: situation is moving quite quickly in some places, and I 121 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 3: think a common theme that we're going to have over 122 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 3: the next couple of months is a discussion about whether 123 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 3: communities were ready for major weather events. In this case, 124 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 3: were emergency crews prepared for this flood? 125 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 2: So Police Commissioner Katrina Carroll basically said in a press 126 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: conference yesterday that the ship volume of rain over the 127 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 2: weekend was unexpected, but that she was confident that there 128 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: was enough staff and enough resourcing to respond to the 129 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 2: issue at hand. 130 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 4: It was changing every fifteen minutes, so this is the challenge. 131 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 4: You have to react so quickly and in a timely fashion. 132 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 4: And it was changing also over an extraordinarily large area 133 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 4: at a pace that we have not seen before. 134 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 3: With access to some towns and communities proving to be 135 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 3: really difficult. What's the advice being for evacuees and are 136 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 3: they getting the supplies that they need well. 137 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: To take the second part of your question first, yesterday 138 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 2: we began hearing some pretty horrific stories about dwindling water 139 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 2: supply for much of the region, and residents are actually 140 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: being instructed to boil drinking water until further notice. So 141 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 2: Can's regional counsel has said its water supply for the 142 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 2: town has reached critical lows. It's expected some suburbs were 143 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: already without water due to damaged infrastructure, worn that even 144 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 2: once services are back up and running, the water supply 145 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: would still be limited, so that Cans Council said that 146 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: residents should continue to only use water for critical purposes 147 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 2: until further notice. 148 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 3: Traditionally, a big feature of disaster response in Australia has 149 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 3: been the presence of the ADF. There's some of them 150 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 3: on the ground as well in Far North Queensland. What's 151 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 3: their involvement. 152 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: Yes, so we've seen the Australian Defense Force really responding 153 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 2: both on the ground and in the air. That includes 154 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 2: four helicopters which were airlifting one hundred and fifty more 155 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: emergency responders into those cut off towns that we were 156 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 2: speaking about. And that's to help get those rescue experts 157 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 2: into the areas that they're most needed. 158 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 3: And I'm sure the question a lot of Queenslanders have 159 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 3: is if this is the worst are they through the 160 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 3: worst of the weather. 161 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 2: Well, rainfall continued all throughout yesterday and the Weather Bureau 162 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 2: was expecting intense downfalls to continue in some pockets as 163 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 2: well as now some storm activity today. But meteorologists did 164 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: say that they should see an easing of conditions today 165 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 2: with rain potentially pushing further north into areas where there 166 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: hasn't been that much of a threat, so hopefully less 167 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 2: of a flooding risk. 168 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 3: And then to return to that discussion we had at 169 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: the top, I mean we had a former Queensland Premier 170 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 3: in Anastasia Palachet, who had almost nine years of experience 171 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 3: with disaster management. There's now a new face fronting these 172 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 3: emergency press conferences. How is Queensland's Premier, Stephen Miles going 173 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 3: in this real first test of his leadership. 174 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: I mean fair to say that he has hit the 175 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,679 Speaker 2: ground running. He's been very visible as he has to be. 176 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 2: Over the last couple of days. He's stood alongside the 177 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 2: state's emergency leadership at back to back press conferences. He 178 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 2: also swore in his new cabinet yesterday he was Anastasia 179 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 2: Paloche's deputy. I think it should be said that he's 180 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 2: not new to politics. He's not new to Queensland's disasters 181 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: like this is something he is well accustomed to dealing 182 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 2: with in a supporting role, obviously to Anastasia Palache, but 183 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 2: he would be well across how to deal and how 184 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 2: to respond to disasters like this. But I do think 185 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 2: that we'll see him judged in the coming days and 186 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 2: weeks when we begin to hear more from those impacted 187 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 2: towns and residents. I think the government's role and the 188 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 2: government's response really comes into focus when it's the cleanup 189 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 2: and when it's trying to understand what can be done 190 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 2: to avoid the situation happening again or the damage happening again. 191 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: For now, though, the focus needs to be on the 192 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 2: people affected, on the infrastructure, on the crops, on the animals, 193 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 2: on everything that is being affected by this disaster currently 194 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 2: unfolding in Fine North Queensland. 195 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 3: And if you're in flood affected areas in neater Hand, 196 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 3: you can call the Queensland Sees on one three two 197 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 3: five hundred hope everybody is staying safe and we'll be 198 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 3: back again tomorrow.