A lovely story, nicely told. You could go further:

What about all the people campaigning actively against fixing the “machines”. No new or extended dams, no water recycling, no catchment management that can be used to improve inflows, no use of the Yarragadee aquifer in WA (in spite of the fact that the government spent $16 million on four separate reports that found it was sustainable), no sensible management of the major river systems.

And what about the exceptions – while latte-lovers are denied their occasional treat, some agricultural and industrial users are allowed to use megalitres of the stuff with virtually no restraints and paying even less than 10c a litre …

What is this about a milk shortage when the farm price for milk has not risen for years, with the only dairy farmers doing any good, are the ones who can quit at a high price because they are close to a city.

Grain farmers are not much better, but probably worse because their now high-priced properties, are only likely to be sold to a wealthy neighbour, generally one who is foxy enough to have other means of income.

No other we can blame here is a government that believes in de-regulation, which is the reason agricultural boards were brought in under Keynesian economics to give the farmers fairer prices for their products by an understanding government - setting the true prices for the producer relating to what is obtained in the shop.

It is certainly where economical rationalism is suiting Big Biz well ahead of the producer, these corporate racketeers getting much too much of a free go, almost as if economic rationalism means a free ticket to do the little bloke down, when the term rationalism in all truth relates simply to fair play, as an umpire oversees a game of sport.

Looks like we should finish and relate the above problem to what is happening today in our weakening universities, with our ever shifting more right-wing so-called Liberal government, vouchasing that Schools of the Humanities are mostly a dead loss, because they are not devouted to teaching how to make more money - undoubtly looking to the unholiness of a market that only allows freedom to the big corporates, ncluding the toadies who work for the corporates, as well as those probably who play the share-markets

BB Part Two

To be sure, if this so-called freedom of the market goes too far, we could inherit what some philosophers call corporatised socialism.

The former small family farming companies, those whose country towns used to support sport, popular country picnics, and even many who attended church on Sunday, will be forced to become collectivised supplying workers for huge city-based industrial contractors working for corporates now big and powerful enough to dictate to governments.

Not only that, but many of the retired corporate chiefs will be part of the government.

What else can there be, with the areas that teach - get on with your neighbour, as well as genuine honesty and fair play. What else can there be when governments can twist democratic terms like economic rationalism into grab while you can, so much among the worst aspects of colonialism.

No doubt, most farmers aren't angels either, trouble is in Australia, there are not enough of them now to get their opinions through.

Bravo Andrew (Jonathon Swift-like) You capture the absurdity of the water situation brilliantly.

bush bred
I think you've missed the point.

this is a clever allegory on the stupidity of introducing water restrictions when the price of water is below cost and no-one's investing in ensuring that supply meets demand.

Rhian,
"And what about the exceptions – while latte-lovers are denied their occasional treat, some agricultural and industrial users are allowed to use megalitres of the stuff with virtually no restraints and paying even less than 10c a litre …"

If it was economically feasible to get the water from Agricultural areas to cities it would be done. It would be a much greater return to the farmer.
Maybe the "latta-lovers" should head to where the water is, and get over themselves.