Australia is richer now than ever but not from brains(industry and education) but from brawn(mining exports to China). This is reflected in our complete failure to use these riches to build infrastructure ( secure water, build roads, populate,educate our young, extend hospitals).
Our pockets are over-flowing with mining dollars but our
mouths parched for water.
It is a " tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
But we are very good at cricket.

Gene, Sydney,

So - where are the usual sarcastic comments from the "I'm too busy living my life and being greedy crowd"?
Wait until we have a similar situation here. Where will you migrate to? Southern Europe is already out as an option. Oh but GM technology will remedy the mysteriously disappearing bees - we are so arrogant with our Science, hail biofuels - the quick fix solution causing even greater environmental havoc. Hopefully genetic modification will allow us to go without food and drink soon.
Yep spending money on new weapons, olympics, new airports, more roads are wise moves. Just make sure the small companies working on renewable energies continue to go bust cause the DTI is incapable of sorting out the grants for them. I know the views of the publishers of the Times, they come through enough when your choose which comments get aired, but maybe its time to start re-thinking, just like Bush and Howard are being forced to by events outside their control.

Esther Phillips-Constans, Leatherhead,

Even more surprising is the fact that water for gardening is given a higher priority than agriculture!

It certainly sounds like a case of poor planning and lack of infrastructure.

The primary reason for the regular water bans in the South-East of England is leakages, which is frustrating when UK water companies made £2bn profit last year.

I'm sure the situation is the same in Australia.

Joe Aston, Basingstoke, England

From a distance, it seems like the wrong decision: being self-sufficient in growing food must surely take top priority. Is there going to be any control on water usage in the cities? It looks like a decision made by counting the votes.

Rob Riches, Croydon, UK

Growing cotton and rice in these areas is using large amounts of water. Better to grow that rice in the (monsoon) tropical regions.
Where is all the rain falling in the tropics going?

J. Beesley, Adelaide,

Instead of hoping and praying for rain (how very scientific!), how about trying to minimize humans' impact on global weather patterns?

Jeremy Clarkson, Cotswolds, UK

Drought is nothing new in Australia, however what Australia suffers from is not a lack of water per se, but bad management of existing water resources. State governments have granted water rights without regard for market value in political pork barrelling to gain rural popular support and keep special interests at bay. Australia's water resources should be turned over to private ownership and water use governed by supply and demand. Pipe dreams of Northern Australian water solutions are not the way forward, deregulation is.

Brendan Halfweeg, London, UK

The country's surrounded by water! Could have had desalination plants in place by now!

CWW, Ipswich, UK

Rice ????


Why are they growing rice , just how much water does that need?

Guy, hamburg,

Austarlians will only get really serious about climate change when someone points out to them that you can't make beer without water!

Bill Linton, London,

Yet Howard denies global warming and refuses to act to prevent it.
Hopefully Australians vote next time for someone who is a bit more responsible, towards the environment and towards them.

Bill, Bristol, UK

It is interesting that the use of water for washing is put higher than for growing your food!

Joseph Kellie, Edinburgh, Scotland

Is it true that water is not recycled in Australian Cities? Is it true that the northern states of Australia have ample water per annum and some to spare but that there is no plan to store and pipe this water to the central and northern parts of Australia? Is this a case of Ps Poor Planning?

Phil Jowett, Muscat, Oman

As an Australian, I can say that in general we have never afforded water the value it deserves. We are now about to suffer the actions of a nation that has had it too good for own our good for a long time.

Damien Coorey, Adelaide, Australia