After Noah in Queensland

Putting their businesses back together has been an expensive business, especially as many of the smash repairers in flood-prone areas were unable to get flood insurance.
Suncorp set up a $250,000 hardship support fund giving up to $5,000 each for Queensland-based repairers who were affected by the flood.
For owner Robert Bignell of Bignell Panel Repairs, the floods were particularly distressing as they swept through his smart workshop after it had just been renovated.
Barry Morris at Summit Collision Repairs had 2.5m of water through his repair shop at Salisbury, which damaged equipment and completely destroyed the office.
“It was a real struggle. We considered three options; do we continue, walk away, or move?” Morris said. “The re-wiring alone cost $8500, so $5000 is a great help. Every little bit helps.”
David Gallagher, general manager of Apex Smash Repairs in Milton, Queensland, and who also has a mechanical workshop, tells his story.
“We had over three metres of water through the workshop and offices. The water even got into the second-storey offices. On Tuesday 12 December I was due to go on holiday as the floods came in. We had 100 cars in the workshop and had to drive them all to higher ground, parking them in people's back yards – wherever we could. Seven didn't make it as they were on hoists and the council had turned the power off. We came back on the Wednesday in a boat, smashed a window and at least managed to get the computers and some of the welders out.
“When the flood subsided and we first walked in it was devastating. All the walls had been ripped off by the force of the water and the spray booth had been ripped apart.
“If it hadn't been for the support of the staff, our suppliers and the community it would have seemed an insurmountable task. Our 35 staff worked for two weeks without pay to help clear up the workshop. Our parts supplier West Point lent us a demountable for the office staff, who worked there in the summer heat with limited air conditioning.
“PPG helped us to restock the paints we hadn't managed to get out. Lowbake had a new bake oven up and working within 10 days. It took us about six weeks to get going and the first priority was the cars that were in the workshop when the flood came. The insurance companies also supported us, persuading their customers to stick with us.
“We couldn't get flood insurance because of our location, and because we have more than 20 employees we aren't eligible for a cent from the state government. We've been to see Andrew Fraser, Queensland Treasurer and this 20 employees ruling is under review. In the meantime we've failed through the cracks. We estimate the flood has cost us upwards of $400,000. It's been a pretty testing few months.”