Stunning Admission From Aussie Politician Re. Drought: "We're Not Doing Enough For The Long Term"

[hatrack]

Then again, maybe he didn't quite take responsibility . . .

HE took his time. But as our dams drain, our Minister for No Water has at last admitted our politicians didn't plan ahead. "We're not doing enough for the long-term," Acting Premier John Thwaites confessed this week to the TV cameras.

Sure got that right, my waterless friend. Only it's a bit late for you to finally wake up to a crisis we've alerted you to for years. How late? Melbourne's dams are already at 40-year lows and some time next week - Wednesday, I'd say -- they'll drop to just 29.3 per cent capacity. That's officially the trigger for stage 4 restrictions.

By comparison, our dams a year ago were half full. At this rate, we won't have water for our city of 3.5 million people by the end of next year. Unless, of course, it rains - and rains hard.

EDIT

But, wait . . . sorry, I've misread my notes. Thwaites was in fact not taking responsibility for doing zip for so long as Melbourne inexorably ran dry. ("Zip", because I of course exclude the $7000 of Bracks Government money given to farmers' wives in Ouyen four years ago to dance naked for rain.) No, it was actually the Howard Government he attacked for not planning ahead. As for his own performance, he has not one "sorry" to say. In fact, you'd think Thwaites still doesn't get it.

EDIT

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21708458-5000117,00.html

[phantom power]

1. Is this like in America?

Will Howard tell Thwaites he did a heck of a job, and then Thwaites will retire to spend more time with his family, and transition to a lucrative lecture/book tour career?

[cliss]

2. Well, this should be very interesting.

By next week, we'll find out what the Australian harvest is going to be, based on how much water they get.

If there is no water = no harvest this year. No wine grapes, no fruit which that country produces so much of. It's going to cause a crisis in the government.
In the meantime, people will have their farms foreclosed on, they won't be able to cover their line of credit, they'll walk away from their properties and so on. There won't be a wine Vintage 2007.

This is a gigantic crisis, and those fools better wake up quick.