Community stands tall
EVERY week someone tries to tell us how bad Australia is. Someone puts out a survey, writes a crazy thing in the newspaper or rants on Twitter that we are sexist, racist and have little to be proud of.
But the events of this week in Townsville should blow all of that nonsense away.
Wealth, race, gender, sexual preference or political ideology don’t matter when a year’s worth of rain is falling in a week.
They matter even less when you need help, like so many did this week.
Mates helped strangers and so many put on a uniform to help anyone they could. From the lady from the Red Cross who stayed up for days without sleep, to the members of the ADF who spent nights on the floor of their trucks after being cut off by the floodwaters, everyone pitched in.
However, it’s not just the act of helping, but the sense of togetherness that these events bring; where someone who has already lost so much tells people in the pub or a reporter on TV, they’ll be OK and don’t worry about them because someone else has got it worse.
I was on air this week talking to someone who had lost their home and they were more concerned about their neighbours who hadn’t left their home in time and were stranded on the roof. No time for tears, just a want that people were safe.
Again it didn’t matter who you are, what you do, what you believe or where you come from, this was a time when people thought not of themselves, but others, and did all they could.
We should be very proud of how Townsville handled this week. You were an example to the whole country of how strong you are, and at the end of the day, how we all wish nothing but the best life for each other.
Thank you to everyone who helped out and is still helping out.
We are so proud of you and everything you have done.
In the coming weeks, as the mud gets cleaned up and the new floors go down it will be time for everyone outside of Townsville to do their bit.
I’m not just talking about giving to the various charity appeals and dropping off some furniture to family if you have got some to spare.
It will soon be time to tell everyone the town has reopened for business and we need to fill the hotels, shops and restaurants to give the area the jolt it deserves.
So forget the trip to Bali, jump online and book a trip to Townsville.
This week Townsville was tested like it has never been before, its people passed that test and threw it back in fate’s face.
They stood tall and remind us all why this is a country to forever be proud of and why those who run it down have no idea what they are talking about.