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Friday, November 14, 2014

BRISBANE and THE G 20 - LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN !

( Beware photo laden post ahead !) 
 
Below is a photo of peak hour traffic on any normal week night in Brisbane.
Our lovely modern city is in the background with the road coming over the Victoria Bridge from the absolute centre of the city to the large busway taking workers home for dinner.
 

 
... and this is what it looks like today (Friday ).


 
Deserted !
This is what happens when you send mixed signals to the people of your city.
 
You cancel all buses entering and leaving the city area.
 
 
All vehicles entering the Central Business District (CBD ) must go through security checks
 
 
like these.
 
 
  This is the main train station in the centre of town at what should be peak hour in the morning !
 
Everywhere you go there are barriers to keep you out
 

 
 

High security is everywhere !
 

 
  
and this is the result - A Ghost Town !
 
 
The inner city streets normally busy seven days a week
 
 
are completely deserted but the businesses are all open for trading.

 
The parklands where citizens in their thousands flock to enjoy the blue skies and sunny days


are eerily quiet.
 
What's going on, you ask?
 In a word, the G20 has come to town.
There are no buses into the city.
The CityCat river  ferries have an exclusion zone right in the centre of the city.
Most car parks are closed and those that are open have huge security, searching cars for explosive devices.
All offices in the city are closed - it's a Public Holiday in Brisbane as workers can't get into the city for their jobs
but the shops and restaurants are open as the weekends are their peak trading times.
 ( paying their workers double time because they are working on a Public Holiday )
 
Important people are arriving
 
 
and obviously bringing lots of luggage with them !



So far the protestors have been colourful and good humoured.
 


 
But the citizens of Brisbane have stayed away in droves.
The hype about all this security has turned them all off going into the city to enjoy the special touches that have been added to make our city look good to the rest of the world.  

 
The bridges are all lit up at night and so are many of the buildings around the city. 


 
The city itself  is looking lovely with the flowering trees putting on a great show.
 
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and some of the street art is truly exceptional
 
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but with a long weekend ahead of us and the thermometer heading for 40 C for the next three days
 
this
 
 
  
is where you'll find most Brisbanites !
 
 
 
Cheers.
 
* photos taken by Tony.  All others from the internet.

16 comments:

  1. It is sad that the leaders of the free world won't see Brisbane with all the people. A lockdown is certainly one form of security. Great photos both sourced and from Tony.

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    1. It's too hot to go outside anyway Carol. Glad I don't have to swan around in a suit ! We're tucked up at home in the aircon watching it all on TV.

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  2. I think it's a great pity that these important visitors won't have a sense of how vibrant and bustling Brisbane is. Those photos are quite eerie with no people around.

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    1. It is a shame Shay though I don't know what time they would have had to see much anyway. It's so hot they'd melt if they had to spend any time outside anyway.

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  3. Well, thank you for sharing these scenes so that I could see Brisbane at least. What a shame so many people have been encouraged to stay away.

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    1. We're not used to security like this Louise. Our politicians go for a daily run around the block or a surf without worrying too much about security and I don't think we own an armoured car anywhere here in Australia. Let's hope we never come to that !

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  4. What a boring day the retail shop workers will have with no customers. The beach sounds like a great place to be.
    Anne xx

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  5. What is the grey blob to the right of the last picture? A swarm of bees? And why do you allow Tony down on the beach to take photos of scantliy clad young women? Surely he could be arrested for that.

    Given what you have said about the effects of the G20 meeting on your city, I think that they should hold their next meeting on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the sea.

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    1. Putin already has his warships cruising just off our coastline YP. He's so unpopular no-one would sit with him at lunchtime. Had a whole table all to himself - a real Nigel Nofriends as we say here ! !

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  6. If I was living in Brisbane I would've stayed away, too...well away from it all. And being amongst protesters isn't my idea of a fun day out. Fortunately, nothing untoward has happened, which is good. I hope similar continues through today, Sunday.

    Anyway, it's too damn hot to be out and about. I've been watching it all on TV...in the comfort of home. I've enjoyed the coverage, actually...something I'd not even thought about before the weekend began; but Ch. 7 has done a good job.

    Have a good week, Helsie. :)

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  7. We don't like being locked out of our own city Lee. The barracades on either side of the road mean you can't even cross the road to get anywhere ! Too hot out there anyway. I'm with you , I'm watching and enjoying the TV coverage in the aircon at home.

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  8. Incredible! That wouldn't happen here. I mean they would be on highest security alert but the place wouldn't go dead like that. I'm sure locals would go about just as normal, on all the transport. Well, enjoy it, Helsie. You have the place to yourselves. It's nice to get to take photos without cars and people in the way, and the absence of traffic noise must be bliss..

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  9. It seems like it would make more sense to transport the G20 people to an isolated location, like a military base, than to spend a small fortune insuring their safety in the middle of a city. But maybe that would be too logical.

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    Replies
    1. I see our friend YP already suggested something similar. Great minds think alike.

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  10. How odd the city must have seemed, when it's normally so very busy. My kids would tell me that's what it will be like when the zombies come. If they were here.

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