Qld floods hit businesses, fishers

Fishermen and other business owners in Queensland's flood-bound far north fear they
may not survive another five weeks of isolation.
As concerns for the economies of Karumba and Normanton escalate, new worries about
disease and water quality have also emerged.
Premier Anna Bligh said on Thursday she understood the very serious economic
challenges faced by the Gulf of Carpentaria communities, which have been cut off by
floods for more than a month.
Roads are not expected to be passable again for about another five weeks, hitting
businesses hard.
"There is an emerging cashflow issue for businesses in the community and I can
understand their frustration," the premier said.
"The focus to date has been on bringing in essential supplies, medical supplies and
food.
"But many of the small businesses make their money on non-essential things and that
is the next shipment that will be brought into the community."
Karumba - the state's fifth busiest port and a major hub for zinc and live cattle
exports - also supports a large fishing industry and a tourist trade on which many
small businesses rely.
Only 10 per cent of the 80 inshore fishing vessels based in the port are fishing at
full capacity, in what should be a peak month for catching big fish such as
barramundi.
Skippers were being hampered by obstacles in the water and a lack of equipment and
supplies, said Gulf Commercial Fishermen's Association chairman Gary Ward.
"We understand the floods, but this one has been quite large and it was early, so a
lot of the necessary equipment for the fishing industry did not get to Karumba. It's
still sitting in Cairns," he said.
"They won't put it on a barge because it's not an essential item."
Mr Ward said he feared the floods would cripple his business.
"We have lost a fair bit of time, which has been non-productive, but probably the
thing that will really put the nail in the coffin for us is when we do get a load of
fish ... we'll have to sit and wait until the roads open up, which could be two
months away," he said.
"The fishing industry could be in dire straits in a month or two."
Some 85 tonnes of non-essential supplies are due to arrive in Karumba this weekend
but Rob Musumeci, who manages a Karumba fish factory, said it was "too little, too
late".
"It just goes to show how unprepared the community is as well as the government."
March is also the traditional start of the tourism spike and cafe and holiday
accommodation owner Yvonne Tunney said every business would feel the pinch.
"People in the community don't have much money to spend. A lot have been stood down
from work," Ms Tunney said.
"Our big concern is the fact that we have another four to six weeks of this to go
and if the monsoon trough gets active again, we're going to be looking at really
severe impacts.
"We have 100 per cent solid bookings. We can't afford to lose business in March.
That would really hurt us and others."
Farmers are also suffering. Fodder drops to feed livestock began on Wednesday, but
graziers in the gulf country expect to lose at least 100,000 head of cattle due to
the floods.
Meanwhile, a wave of stomach upsets has many Karumba residents convinced that
drinking water authorities said was safe was anything but.
New water purification equipment was set up on Thursday after a crack was discovered
in the pipeline that delivers the town's drinking water. But Karumba pharmacist
Elaine McCormick believes many have already been sickened by the water.
Over the past three weeks she says she's seen at least one child or adult per day
needing medication for diarrhoea and stomach pain.
Queensland Health said there was no outbreak of dysentery in Karumba but it has
dispatched a doctor to the area.