Script+for+news

1. Introduction (30 secs) -Reporter talks over -Scene Shot

Hello I am Amy Murray, on assignment in Australia and this is Foreign Correspondent - The Island.

“Reporter-There was a time here where crops flourished, businesses were booming, and the population was thriving. People from all over the world would migrate to Australia seeking refuge and opportunities. Tonight we are exploring the destructive consequences of the current environmental catastrophes invading Australia, from the floods sweeping away the east coast, to the drought and fires burning through the west and central parts of Australia.”

2. Floods Interview with flood Farmer (1min)

Reporter- The floods have washed away everything from your house and personal possessions to your crops and livestock. What does this mean for your farm? What about the future of Australian agriculture? How will this affect you and your family’s life? What are you going to do?

Deb "The recent floods have caused devastating damage to our crops. Even though the water has mostly receeded now, the ground is still soddon and irrigation equipment has been washed away. The crops were under water for several weeks! Whole rows of plants have been uprooted and washed away. The massive loss of topsoil is also a problem for future planting. Reparing or replacing the equipment and returning the soil to usuable land will take years.

All we could do is sit and watch the farm go underwater. And the damage was worse that it should have been. Nearby farmers and mines could build up levees as high as they liked and this redirected the floodwaters to our property.

Not only did the floods do considerable physical damage to our property, I am also worried about the emotional effect that this will have on the farmers. The stress of maintaining our livelihoods in the face of this natural disaster has increased the depression and emotional trauma that farmers face."

3. Images of Floods (1 min) "Australia has seen floods before but none so damaging. Authorities are grappling with the worst natural disaster in Australian History. The floods have killed more than 4 thousand Australians leaving a further 3.2 million homeless and additionally changing millions of lives forever. The floods have created a devastating path from Port Douglas in far north Queensland right down to southern parts of victoria crushing everything in its course from infrastructures such as buildings, bridges, cars, sewerage system and roadways to the cattle and crops of farmlands. Leaving people scrambling to roof tops and fighting for survival. With the rains, also came the diseases. These unhygienic conditions are spreading waterborne deadly diseases like wild fire”

4. Image of draught (1 ½ min) Amy-“I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains" But not a country so sunbrunt that it is shrivilling up. The current situation of the Australian drought has hit breaking point. Periods of drought have significant environmental, agricultural, health, economicand and social impact with disastrouse consequences ”. The agricultuer is the first to suffer with farms unable to grow crops or have enough water to feed cattle this among many other things consequently negatively impedes the supply of food available to the surrounding community and Australia. -if we can track Amy walking along a dirt field or something like that Family-Image of them dirty, sick looking ect. Family talking ect InterviewAmy-“This drought has been going on for some time now” Linda-“About 10 years this drought has been. Diminished crop growth has occurred over the years and our capacity for livestock has all but gone due our dams all being empty. The littlewater we have, we need to use on ourselves”. Amy-“How do you survive”Linda-“I won’t lie its hard. Most of our community has left. They have migrated to the city hoping for a better life. and with that goes the other industries andbbusinesses that we usually get work from when its tough on the land."

5. Back to Shot of Amy (20 secs) This drought has been disastrous for the country. Famine due to lack of water has spread across the centre of Australia form Perth to Adelaide and all the way up to Alice Springs having a huge negitive effect on the whole counrty. Just like the floods, there has been a spread of disease due to malnutrition and dehydration. And to make matters worse with no moisture around fires are ripping through the dry lands at an astonashing speed and force scorching everything in their path. rubbing salt into the wond of the already suffering country

How it relates to “The Island” (30 secs) The drought and floods in australia will have some affect on the Island, how much is hard to say. Goods such as wheat, wool and uranium imported from Australia will be at a hugely inflated price or may need to be sourced from else where.It is likly that this will lead to a greater demand on the Islands argiculture. It is also likely that many australians will migrate to different countries with the island being a popular choice due to it's

6. Hopeful ending (10 secs) Despite the bleak outlook, Australians are banding together to face this tragedy showing true strength of what it means to be Australian.