MDB Water-Two Contradictory Quotes

Quote - 
"A very uneven distribution of water resources across Australia and high year-to-year variability  means that water resources in some regions are fully or over allocated, while others remain largely undeveloped" 

CSIRO Water -Science and Solutions for Australia, 2011 

Given allocations are not fixed but made subject to availability, how can anyone argue that water resources are over allocated?? Sure, irrigators face great uncertainty because of Australia's variable rainfall. It is the system of allocations that we use to deal with the variability'

A great quote-
"Perhaps more than any other parts of the Australian economy, farmers understand uncertainty. They live with uncertainty about rainfall and growing conditions. They live with uncertainty about the costs of their key inputs. And, of course, they live with uncertainty about the world prices for their outputs. It is this ability to deal with uncertainty that is one of the strong and enduring characteristics of the Australian farming sector. 
Philip Lowe, Assistant Governor (Economic), Reserve Bank of Australia. 

 I think claims of over allocation are nonsensical! What do you think? Am I missing something? 

Our Unbalanced ABC

On 6th November the ABC Radio National programme"Background Briefing" featured the Qantas dispute.The
 programme concentrated on the Coalition's IR policy, or lack of it. I sent in the following comment:-

David Boyd :

14 Nov 2011 9:30:34am

It could only be the ABC "Lefties" who could focus a programme about the Qantas dispute on the Coalition's IR policy!
How about the lack of labour productivity improvements, Labor's winding back of the Hawke/Keating reforms, entrenched Qantas work practices being protected under the guise of job security,enhanced Union power and inflexibility and the flaws of the FWA arrangements?

Uncertainty

A quote worth remembering-
"Perhaps more than any other parts of the Australian economy, farmers understand uncertainty. They live with uncertainty about rainfall and growing conditions. They live with uncertainty about the costs of their key inputs. And, of course, they live with uncertainty about the world prices for their outputs. It is this ability to deal with uncertainty that is one of the strong and enduring characteristics of the Australian farming sector."
Philip Lowe, Assistant Governor (Economic), Reserve Bank of Australia.

Latest Murray Darling Basin Plan-Apprehension

Those interested in maintaining Australia's long term agricultural productive capacity are awaiting the release of the latest iteration of the Murray Darling Basin Plan at the end of this month, with great interest and some apprehension. The attached video, particularly Louise Burge's comments, is spot on.

The Murray Darling Basin rivers are not, in general, unhealthy. In fact, following the recent wetter years the Basin has arguably never been in better shape. Yet the likes of the ACF continue to talk about "on the brink of eco-collapse".

The fear is that the Report will proceed from the false premise that the rivers are unhealthy and that this is due to excessive extractions. Leaks suggest that it will again focus on aggregate entitlements and ignore the success of the Water Sharing Plans and their limit on allocations when water is in short supply.

It will fail to recognise the great achievement, as a consequence of storages, diversions (Snowy) and extraction limitations of keeping the Murray River flowing throughout the lowest run-off period in Australia's recorded history. We should be celebrating not lamenting!

Irrigation Extractions in the MDB

This is worth listening to, especially when Tony Windsor (belatedly) expounds on the allocation process and the compere has a BGO (Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious) and immediately asks "well what's the problem". Good question! But, our ACF representative sticks with his programmed dogma and ignores the obvious.

A View of Murray Darling Irrigation from New York

Well known New York based Australian author and journalist,Kate Jennings,has contributed an interesting and colourfully expressed article to "The Monthly". It is well worth reading.

Europe

I have been much interested in the sovereign debt problems of the poor countries of Europe and how the creation of the Eurozone and the single currency, has removed the former main method of dealing with individual economic problems, namely currency devaluation, from the unfortunate members. How fortunate are the U.K. and the Czech Republic  under my favourite President, Vaclav Klaus, (to name two), in not being members. The linked speech by Daniel Hannan, the member of the European Parliament for South England, strikes an appealing chord.