Can anything be simpler ?
Bazz,
Not to those highly educated, Degree holding expert consultants that regularly advise the Govt & the Govt Ministers making the final decisions !

I don't know where you are Bazz, but here in far southern Queensland we had the biggest flood in living memory, just a couple of years back. A strange type of drought.

Hasbeen,

<<I don't know where you are Bazz, but here in far southern Queensland we had the biggest flood in living memory, just a couple of years back. A strange type of drought.>>

I also live in SE Qld. In 2019 while severe drought continued in much of western Qld, there was a massive flood during a monsoon rain in February 2019. See: http://www.google.com/search?q=flood+Townsville+2019&safe=active&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ACYBGNTiSMJDwgkrm02Qm5tNU44LVYyDIQ:1578691439849&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=qTZOMplba_oUpM%253A%252CfebEQxBpKvaCOM%252C%252Fg%252F11h3g3_fdj&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRQptJJjcarXs83vyHQQcT8JDGpyQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjZu-3z-_nmAhWcwzgGHUs0DrMQ_B16BAgLEA4&biw=1280&bih=555#imgrc=qTZOMplba_oUpM:

This same monsoon extended to NW Qld with the death of half a million cattle: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-08/graziers-confronted-with-devastation-as-floods-kill-cattle/10793502.

There was another severe drenching in 2013 in parts of Qld: http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2013/02/11/3687492.htm

So, in the midst of severe drought we also had extremes of flooding.

Hi Ateday,

If you really want information about world population, try this:

http://ourworldindata.org/future-population-growth#

World birth-rates have been declining and should reach ZPG in about a generation. Population will still rise, mainly because with improving health conditions, people will be living longer. But this process has limits, so world population may start to decline after 2100.

Cheers,

Joe

Bazz, when it comes to desal, you clearly don't know your ass from your elbow!

Keep parroting that desal is too expensive and only so thanks to ignoramuses like yourself Some of who are a science-free zone and worse, decision-makers.

Some years ago now the Dutch inventors of deionisation dialysis desalination used seawater desalinated with the above on broad-scale agriculture! And with privatized power that includes some hydro, coal and nuclear, that ridiculously cost the Texans one-third of what we are slugged, with clearly abundant government compliance.

The very well publicised field trial demonstrated this new space age desalination was demonstrably cost-effective on broad-scale irrigation! The only reason it costs us an arm and a leg is the current cost of COAL-FIRED ENERGY! And a stubborn 20-50 year-long refusal to look at the nuclear alternative, i.e. MSR thorium/nuclear waste burning MSR and with it, energy (vastly) cheaper than coal.

We should do this now as a government facilitated, government-funded, cooperative capitalism public service for the community and in direct competition to the price gouging power barons now screwing the nation!

As for our overseas energy customers, we can service them with electricity generated here and transmitted via graphene cored cables under the sea. As we do so become and energy distributing superpower!

And usher in a new era of unprecedented prosperity for Australia as opposed to the foreign parasites now benefiting from our endeavour and enterprise, or the blood sweat and tears of our forebears!
Alan B.

The public transport subsidy is largely paid for by motorists as compensation for the passengers not cluttering THEIR roads.

Public transport need not be free but does need to be relevant. More white-collar jobs should be allowed to move to walkable suburban centres with minimal onsite parking, thus making better use of existing infrastructure. This is largely a matter of land use planning but the planners have not twigged to the benefits. Both ends of the commute must be supported by public transport for it to be used.

To be adopted, the jobs need to move to the suburbs and not necessarily to the country.