Public safety must come above profit and temporary inconvenience

It’s easy to look back now and wonder why the early panic – why the shutdown of buses and schools - but it was for good reason, writes Kylie Lang.

Premier of Queensland, David Crisafulli at the Kedron emergency services complex. Picture: John Gass

It’s easy to look back now and wonder why the early panic – why the shutdown of bus services and closure of schools from Wednesday when on Thursday and into Friday, the skies were blue?

In my neck of the woods and many other parts of Brisbane, it could have been business as usual.

Saturday was a different beast, as ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred finally decided to turn up, but in the days prior, we were warned to stay off the roads.

We were told the safest place to be was our house – even when those skies beckoned us to have backyard barbies or picnics in the park.

Many cafes, restaurants and shops closed, costing them dearly in lost income.

These are the same businesses that copped a hiding during Covid lockdowns – and the emotional trauma lingers for many yet to also financially recover.

So I understand why certain people have had a crack at Queensland authorities for putting a premature stop to life as we know it.

Graham "Skroo" Turner.

Flight Centre managing director Graham Turner speaks of a “lack of foresight and proportionality” in the handling of cyclone preparations, comparing it to what he calls “The Great Covid Panic” of the previous Labor Government.

He describes it as “nothing short of economic and social self-sabotage” and creating unnecessary public anxiety.

Tech entrepreneur Steve Baxter says the Bureau of Meteorology needs to lift its game because “they can tell us the earth’s going to overheat in 1000 years but they can’t get a cyclone right’’.

“At what point do the citizens trust themselves? Let businesses make their own decisions. I just find it all a bit silly.”

People can say now, with the benefit of hindsight, that it was an exaggerated response, but I don’t believe our leaders, including our impressively calm Premier, David Crisafulli, were trying to whip up panic.

Steve Baxter.

We know Alfred has been unpredictable, hurtling towards us with Category 2 force one minute, then turning around and considering his options the next.

Imagine the outcry if services hadn’t been shuttered and lives were lost.

We’d be blaming the authorities for being slack, ignorant and inept.

As we move “from response to recovery”, as Mr Crisafulli said in Monday morning’s press conference, we should be grateful those in charge continue to put public safety above profits and temporary inconvenience.