Drought proofing Australia

Once upon a time there were Politicans/Statesmen.  Now there are cardboard cutouts claiming they are politicans but knowing only one thing – how to spin.

Yes we used to have Politicans/Statesmen.

Back in 1903 the Western Australian government built a pipeline from Perth to Kalgoorlie to carry fresh water, a distance of 560 kilometres (a tremendous achievement at the time). It took five years to build and today it still supplies water through 8000 kilometres of pipe to 100,000 people.
In 1949 Ben Chiftley pushed through his ‘New Deal’ – the Snowy Mountains Scheme. It took 25 years to construct, and consists of 16 major dams, 7 power stations, a pumping station and 225 kilometers of tunnels and aqueducts in some of the harshest country in Australia.

We give praise to those Politicans/Statesmen.     But why don’t we have similar Politicans/Statesmen now?

It’s interesting that in 1984 Colonel Gaddafi of Libya commenced the first part of a giant scheme to pump water through a reinforced concrete pipeline about 2,000 kilometers through desert to the towns of Benghazi and Sirte. Completed in the 1990s the pipeline transports 2 million cubic meters of water a day.  It is 14 feet in diameter.  Other schemes are in place, totalling 4,000 kilometers, to have a giant water grid in Libya.  This man is called a dictator, but clearly he cares for his people and his country.

Where is the vision for an Australian Water Grid?

Our Prime Minister Rudd (’60 Minutes) states that we have the driest continent, yet water experts say we are a wet continent – the trouble being that the water is in the north.  Mr Bob Carr (‘Q&A Channel 2) claimed that ‘his’ NSW government was the original think tank that suggested the ‘Buy back the water scheme’ for the Murray River.

Heaven help us.  Not only do they not know the facts but their ‘policies’ are all about buying back water from farmers.

For God sake, why haven’t we got any politicans who can think past their noses (and their next elections) and become Statesmen.
Here’s a thought.  Why doesn’t the government hire the Colonel to come and explain that a pipeline from the ‘big wet’ areas to areas down south would practically drought proof this wonderful country.  He could even show them how to do it.

And if the pipe line from the north is too long and too difficult for our politicians, then bring water down from the Clarence Basin.  I have never been a fan of Mr Fraser but he at least had the foresight to finance a study of the Clarence Basin – which Mr Hawke later threw out the window.  Is there one current politican who is aware that the water that flows out to sea from the Clarence Basin could make the Darling Murray areas some of the best food growing areas in the world and allow Australia to multiply its present food crop production, and feed a good deal of Asia?

Our ‘Excuses’ politicans ((both major parties) say: it’s too hard; it’s too expensive; it will take too long etc.; and that we need immediate solutions.  Okay, let them do their immediate solution thing,  but they must start putting in plans and action for the future.

And when will the Government stop talking about the cost of building pipe lines etc. The social and  economic costs to our rural areas are already astronomical, but that doesn’t seem to count!  The Labor government had 17 billion in the bank a few months ago, so why can’t they use some of it to start drought proofing our country.  Are there too few votes in rural areas to concern the MPs?  Seems that way.  Aren’t the rural people of Australia important to the government?   Doesn’t seem like it.  Isn’t the government concerned about the coming increases in food costs to all Australians because of the drought?  Clearly they are not concerned.   Clearly they have little concern for the Aussie battlers.

If our government was concerned for our people and our country they would start building pipelines and dams etc., and would do it now.  Obviously this country is not as important to politicans as it is to us.  But we have the ultimate power at the ballot box, so let us all demand action now and at the ballot box.

With that in mind, does anyone know of a possible Politican/Statesmen that we can get behind?

We do not want more pathetic excuses, and we can’t wait much longer for some positive action.  The areas along the Darling and Murray are dying, and the rest of our Centre will follow suit if the government doesn’t wake up and smell the daisies – while the daisies are still alive.

To quote our Prime Minister – ‘this is not rocket science’.  Please Mr Prime Minister, we just want you to be a Statesman who ‘will do’ another Kalgoolie pipeline or another Snowy Mountains scheme for this country.  If a third world country like Libya can build such a pipeline then there is no excuse for your government not to build one.