so if Australians cannot lay claim to the windfall rain that happens to come down upon their roofs and topsoil thereon, what else can they not lay claim to that they once thought they could?

And can they even find that out, or do they have to wade through the right way to make a submission to freedom of information legislation that may not even apply to them?

If water was not a right it would be illogical to talk about a right to free speech, religion or whatever because water, like sunlight and land, is fundamental to life.

Surely whatever 'system' we may cleverly devise for our water, there remains a fundamental right to life and therefore to collect what water we need to sustain life for ourselves.

Of course as with any right there is also the responsibility to ensure that the way we exercise that right does not in any way deprive others, of this or of future generations, of that equal right to life's fundamentals.

Most of us might think our systems are more convenient than collecting our own water, growing our own food and building our own shelter and so most of us might choose to make a deal with a system for more convenient access to water, food or shelter, but that does not mean all must make such a deal or die. That would be a denial of any RIGHT to life.

"The Australian Productivity Commission's report Towards Urban Water Reform confuses water and roofs."

That's because the well-rewarded 'executive'employees of that governme nt-funded 'independent' bureau-ocracy are narrowly-trained economists. As any THINKING person knows, put 4 economists in a room and ask them to provide a solution to a problem and you will get 5 different answers.