From one disaster to another

Before the bushfires started, northern Queensland experienced some of the worst floods in history. The rain stopped just as the fires started far to the south in Victoria. A reporter still on that story found this...

Qld flood victims donate to Vic bushfire appeal
By Bruce Atkinson

The clean-up in Ingham begins after one of the worst floods in the region's history.
The flood-affected residents of Ingham in north Queensland are putting their own problems aside the help the victims of the Victorian bushfires.
The clean-up and recovery in Ingham began this morning after one of the worst floods in the region's history. About 200 residents lined up at the community recovery centre this morning to receive financial assistance from the Queensland Government to replace items lost in the floods.
Many of them have lost everything but say their plight is insignificant compared to the loss of life and damage caused by the Victorian bushfires.
Communities Department spokesman Peter McCarthy says many of them are giving their grants to help bushfire victims.
"A lot of people are coming through and while they've suffered loss themselves and are understandably upset at their loss and the damage that their property might have suffered, a lot of them have made comments to our staff that 'we're not as bad off as the poor people in Victoria', 'thank God we're not in Victoria'," he said.
"Some of them have even said that they plan to give some of the money to the Victorian bushfire appeal."
Mr McCarthy says one concerned man in Ingham want his recovery money directly donated to the appeal.
"And he said 'I'm going to give this money straight to the Victorian fire appeal so you may as well write this cheque out to them, not to me'," Mr McCarthy said.