BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chosun Juan" data-source="post: 3596296" data-attributes="member: 92780">Hi Ed  :hi:That's an apt quote, from quite the author.  Humans run the spectrum from those that will give everything they have, to those that will take everything they want. The outcome of the eternal tussle between light and dark rests on the heart of man. Hopefully we're tipping the balance - one expanded spark of light at a time.  Even though the 'dawning of the  age of aquarius' seems to be taking its own good time ..... I remain optimistic!  o<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> :t:There is genuine will by the Australian people to save the environment and some $13 Billion has been invested/earmarked for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.  People had trusted that it was sorted, but it seems there is quite some way to go ..... Fixing up the environmental water share will be just the start, then somewhat of a quantum leap in awareness will be required to repair the erosion and wetland damage using Natural Sequence Farming techniques etc. I choose to believe that any governance and systems design shortcomings are more the result of misguided populism and lack of expertise and competence by our politicians (as well as factional power plays and horse trading), rather than any sinister influence of dark overlords. Certain individual and corporate piggies at the trough have definitely succumbed to greedy opportunism in the dark shadows. We need to get rid of the water trading as an acceptable primary business model .... it seems that Billions $ may have already been wasted on such unproductive and environmentally degrading practices.Thank goodness for credible environmental scientists like Professor Richard Kingsford, but it's not just the environmentalists ringing the alarm bells over the shortcomings of the plan (even if the illegalities and compliance issues were fixed). It seems that even the economists are on board, and when that unholy trinity comes to light it's time to sit up and take notice!   :-OWater being subject to gravity, One of the gross failures of logic that is now being more widely understood, is that gains from irrigation and water use efficiences, result in corresponding losses by reduced return (leakage) back to the environment. This useless loop coming at great financial cost to the taxpayer!Here is a quote from one of the plethora of who's who water economists that brought quite the smile to my face:''The government's claim that it is creating 'new' water is spurious in the extreme. When water is purportedly 'lost' in the irrigation district, it does not go to Mars. It is not lost at all, it has just gone somewhere else.''<a href="http://www.stockandland.com.au/story/3641281/brumbys-water-plan-savaged/" target="_blank">http://www.stockandland.com.au/story/3641281/brumbys-water-plan-savaged/</a>The deputy Prime Minister has also been caught out shooting himself in the foot  ....... (after a few beers! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />    B <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><a href="http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4817655/barnaby-joyce-unloads-on-four-corners-water-report/?cs=7" target="_blank">http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4817655/barnaby-joyce-unloads-on-four-corners-water-report/?cs=7</a>Hopefully this whole issue will now receive proper scrutiny and the environment / irrigation allocation balance be reset more in line with the sustainable environmental health purpose and intent of the Plan .... and sooner than the currently programmed 5 year on-ground review time frame.  That would be highly satisfyingly ironic  o<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />Chosun   :gh:</blockquote>

Verification