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Australia, land of extremes

After months of fires, the East Coast of Australia now has floods. During the fires the Australian Broadcasting Service (ABC) did a wonderful job of keeping people informed about which areas were under threat, when they should leave adn where they should go. Yesterday afternoon and evening  the same team were again giving evacuation advice, but this time for floods. After two days of torrential rain,  300mm fell on many parts of Sydney overnight  and 500mm on the Blue Mountains. Transport is in chaos today and people are being advised to work from home today if they can.

I read now that south coast people now approach ABC staff to thank them for help in desperate times. In many cases, with power off and no wifi, these people were dependent on battery radios for their information and the ABC was the outstanding performer.

It is hard to believe, but our far-right wing government favours a commercial station over their own ABC, paid for and owned by the Australian people. They have cut the ABC and cut it again, and more cuts are planned. They don't like having a broadcaster that is neutral and tells the truth. Who cares that they are the best source of information by a country mile? Woe is us.

Some trickster has doctored a photo of the harbour bridge to make it appear like a waterfall. Probably some will believe it, such is fake news in our era. If you want to see a real waterfall, search for Wentworth Falls on google. Those falls in the Blue Mountains are bucketing down the cliff after so much rain.

Fake floods - tricksters phototshopped image

Real floods in Sydney yesterday (photo: ABC)

Classical music lovers among those weeping

Governments don't like to be criticised and both sides of politics have sweated under the even handed but critical reports of our national broadcaster. Well, even handed until now - at the moment the ABC seems to be frightened of contentious issues.

I love our #ABC T-shirt

A report written under the Howard liberal Government (not immediately released) said that the ABC is efficient but underfunded. The current Government had a report written too (unreleased), but it seems, despite all assurance before the election that they would never cut ABC funding, that they had already decided to  do so.

Now millions are going to be docked from the ABC and SBS budgets, a move that is being reported as pure vindictiveness. The much loved ABC is set to loose hundreds of workers and this weekend thousands of people have been out of the streets protesting.  Some of them will be classical music lovers who, like me, have their radio dial permanently tuned to ABC Classic FM, a station reportedly about to be severely cut

 It beggars belief, but one Cabinet member started an online petition to save the ABC Adelaide office (his electorate) and several other members of the government have gone public about saving the bit that they like.

I hope the tidal wave of disgust at our current leadership washes all of them away (especially the member for Adelaide) at the next election. It can't come soon enough. In the meantime, I'll get the T-shirt.

Addendum: there are so many cuts, including Bush Telegraph and lots of regional positions. It is confirmed that Classic FM will cut back on concerts, meaning if you can't go you wont hear them.
I feel so sorry for all ABC staff in this toxic political climate, not only the 400 (one in ten) staff and their families loosing their jobs just before Christmas.

Melbourne Ring Cycle Broadcasts

Das Rheingold (Photo from ABC website)

Listen to the Melbourne Ring Cycle! Broadcasts are available for 48 hours after being aired on the ABC. Das Rheingold was on this evening.

Wonderful singing and playing ... have a listen.