Fair and ethical treatment.

Was reading Paula's entry on Cyclone Yasi this morning, and felt compelled to have my say.

I was surprised and impressed at how often local coverage of the recent floods here compared the local stats to the devastation in Haiti, and in Bali after wild weather in those places in past year or two- and even in the midst of local suffering, there was a tendency to compare those events to illustrate how, in relation, we've been affected so much less then others. It was pointed out time and again the impact of other poorer nations was not properly covered or understood.

The cyclone that hit last night and will continue through much of today is still 11 hours north of me- but, like the recent flooding in my area- the ongoing effects will be tremendous. There are thousands of people already homeless here in South- east Qld- and by tomorrow there will be thousands more homes rendered unlivable. The crop devastation will push prices skyward for basic food staples- some of which will be imported from elsewhere- and some of which will simply not be available. Increasing prices for basic everyday staples will put more pressure on people who have already suffered devastating losses.

But do you know what really gets my goat? Palm Island, off the coast near Mission Beach, which was "ground zero" in relation to Cyclone Yasi coming ashore- is populated by a large aboriginal group. Other islands in the region were evacuated. Palm Island was not.

State government personnel, teachers, hospital workers and the police, they were advised to leave earlier in the week. Some left, some stayed.

Four evacuation centers were announced- but only one of them was above the level of expected sea rise during the storm- and that one was not capable of holding all 3500 residents.

Other area has Army and Emergency Services going door to door urging people to leave, and telling them what services were available to assist them leaving the islands and where they would be able to take refuge on the mainland. Not on Palm Island.

Many of these residents do not read newspapers, and do not have TV's. The next few days will reveal what happened in the complete absence of fair and just treatment.