Hail hit residents who did the right thing by covering their homes are being left out in the cold at the worst possible time
No matter which way you look at it, the response from insurers in the wake of last year’s hail storms has not been good enough
Ipswich
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OPINION
How long can residents weather the storm?
IT IS hard to fathom that we are approaching five months since those massive hail storms battered parts of Ipswich, yet hundreds of households are still waiting for insurance claims to be finalised.
The idea that you put away your hard-earned money for insurance so that you and your family will be looked after on a rainy day has been completely ruined by this latest episode.
I must admit, after witnessing what happened after the 2011 floods, I am not overly surprised.
Insurance companies are great at taking your money, but not always so good when it comes to responding to the barrage of claims that follow natural disasters.
Having walked through some of the houses that were hit by last October's storms, I can only say I'm bitterly disappointed that people who paid for home insurance are still being left out in the cold.
We are in the midst of what could be a very wet period and houses still have tarps on roofs. It really isn't good enough.
I am glad to hear Ipswich City Council is taking action on the situation and I hope it gives the insurers a bit of a kick.
The QT will be doing its best to keep you updated on how this story progresses in the coming weeks.
Week of highs and lows for Ippy High
There is never a shortage of things to cheer about at Ipswich High, especially when it comes to the prodigious sporting talent that seems to flourish there.
We reported on young rugby league prospect Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, who has a big future ahead following his signing with the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL.
Ipswich is known for being a breeding ground for tough, smart and successful league players, and we can't wait to see how Kuli fares at the highest level.
Unfortunately for Ipswich High, there was bad news this week, with the school hit with another bomb hoax - the second one in as many weeks.
Adding insult to injury, we are told heavy rain hit the school while the students were assembled outside and laptops and other equipment was damaged.
You obviously cannot blame anyone for this except the moron who made the bomb threat, and it is really disappointing to see a great school again being brought down unnecessarily.
Here is a story we have not heard much on in a while, but one we hope to bring you some more updates on soon.
The controversial proposed residential and shopping centre development at Deebing Heights has drawn widespread media coverage since traditional owners set up a protest camp at the site more than a year ago.
Since then it has been an ongoing battle between developers and traditional owners, with local Indigenous groups still not satisfied with the plans.
AV Jennings has applied to Ipswich City Council to extend the currency periods which were due to expire at the end of this year for approvals at Deebing Heights.
The QT will be publishing a story next week talking to Deebing Creek campers and protectors about why they believe the development should not go ahead as it stands.
The risk and reward of bravery
You have to tip your hat to anyone that runs toward danger, rather than away from it.
When Ipswich man Shaun Brown saw a cop being assaulted, he did something a lot of us would not do.
He stopped his car, jumped out and chased after the crook and pinned him down until more police arrived.
He was deservingly honoured at this week's Queensland Police Ipswich District Awards, with his proud wife and son looking on.
A lot of people display bravery in different ways, whether it is through helping others or in just getting themselves through a difficult time.
From experience, we know that those who display bravery under traumatic circumstances don't always live happily ever after, and the incident can go on to play havoc with their mind years after the event.
While that is not necessarily the case for Mr Brown, and we hope it isn't, we have covered many stories like his where the "hero" of the story can suffer terribly in the aftermath.
To me, that's what makes these acts of bravery even more selfless.
Planning under way for Ipswich Cup
The city's biggest social event had a spell in 2020, for obvious reasons, but the Ipswich Turf Club has a man with a plan at the reins to see that we don't miss out two years on the trot.
For those who missed it, Tim Dunn has taken over from long-serving Turf Club GM Brett Kitching this year, and what big shoes he has to fill.
The Turf Club's signature event is scheduled to go ahead, albeit with some very careful planning around managing the COVID risk.
It sounds like an unenviable task for a day of the magnitude of the Ipswich Cup, but let's hope Mr Dunn and his team can hit their stride come June.
Twenty thousand racegoers will be champing at the bit.
Originally published as Hail hit residents who did the right thing by covering their homes are being left out in the cold at the worst possible time
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