JF Aus,
If we want Australia to become a sustainable rather than progressive (limited) Nation then we need to plan without the involvement of all present senior politicians & bureaucrats & consulting engineers. They got us to stagnation point so off we go to get new blood. The only way to achieve a reintroduction of common sense is to rid ourselves of ALL heads of Departments & replace them asap.

individual,

There are some good heads of departments. What is missing is leadership. Presently government is wasting time like a football team running in all directions without focus on goal posts.
Self serving politicians should be exposed by say a Royal Commission into the national stagnation you refer to.

There is dire urgent need for water ecosystem management, whole of water ecosystem management, involving land and ocean and atmospheric water.

The political bickering and abuse that wastes so much time in Parliament should be outlawed. Available time is needed for encuraging and planning development of worthwhile productivity.
In other words, use available tome to lead plans to kick goals.

This sums it all up precisely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUWx59PZcHg&feature=youtu.be

Perhaps the new PM could consider to at least lay the ground work for a Bradfield type scheme.
He appears to be more on the pragmatic side than all others.
If nothing else, this project could be a permanent option to get youg able-bodied with no plans for life out into a world where their mentality will get a chance to change & at the same time make the water flow west. It could be morphed into a national service kind of policy.

Really all that is needed is strategically placed tunnels, the distribution system west of the range already exists.

With modern equipment tunnelling is a relatively easy process.

Use of modern aqueduct would prevent water lost to seepage and provide for flow over long distances.