Ludwig & Tom; Apart from the odd constructive comment, don’t expect solutions to appear here. However I have faith in fellow man. I am certain a few will climb out of their holes and do something about their predicament as we watch. But in picking winners and losers we have to be certain about what we want.

Hot tip, part of the solution lies in finding another good crop of practical folk like engineers who with bit of experience not science can get on with the job.

"Problem is Dilma, ALL migrants will come to Sydney and Brisbane as first choice and to a lesser extent the other capitals."

This is indeed the biggest problem with increased immigration. But the solution is not to restrict further immigration, but rather to work out WHY everyone goes to Sydney and Melbourne rather than anywhere else, and move to correct that problem.

The rest of Australia has plenty of room and water for people, especially the far north and the far south. With government subsidies on water and schemes like the first home-buyer's grant, why would anyone want to live anywhere except the city?

A house in a country town still costs under $100,000, and there is much more water in Darwin or Albany than there is in Sydney.

Well, Colinsett I suppose we cannot do too much about evaporation. But for the water that is not evaportated (usable water) I am sure we could put it to better use.

Whether you like it or not, all cows do is drink, eat and sh_t. They don't do a hell of a lot else. They eat crops that are FARMED by using WATER, lots of it – because cows eat a lot. Get it? Then we eat the cows.

My point is very, very clear... why not cut out the middle man (or cow). Yeah I know about the rainforest clearing for soybeans and other plants but hey, at least humans get to eat such things, not cows, which we end up eating anyway.

I don’t think it’s too extreme an idea to think that a reduction in livestock farming would save us a fair bit of water.

As for my comment that population should not be seen in isolation from other variables. All I was referring to was the simplistic title to the accompanying article: “Water shortages: It's the population stupid!”, and my suggestion was that there is a lot more to it than that. I also said that people love their lush, green lawns, long showers etc. So when we talk about population I think it’s more of an additudinal problem than simply a numbers one.

We need to take a qualititative approach rather than looking just at numbers, since some people are more wasteful than others.

Yobbo,

"The rest of Australia has plenty of room and water for people, especially the far north and the far south."

You're dreamin!

If migrants are sent to places like Orange, then no matter what the incentives, they end up on the coast, most likely Sydney or Brisbane. The problem with immigrants chosen on skills, hat they have High IQs. They easily outsmart luddite government regualtions and rules. I do not believe the Howard government has ever factored that in. They live in Canberra dreamland, dreamtime.

As for the far North, the tropical climate is not suitable for predominantly temperate zone dwellers like ourselves. The extreme climate, diseases and the thermodynamic constraint of having a high quality heat source but a poor heat sink, mean that first rate economic activity is not possible in these places. They can be used for tourism, but this is not sustainable in terms of large populations because of fierce competition.

Tubley,

The problem with smart, skilled immigrants entering a free market economy is that they WILL find a way to get the luxuries that make life worth living. No legislation can stop them as the Federal doctrine is free market, free enterprise. You would have to abandon your 1984 minimalist approach to life or abandon free enterprise and go Big Brother.

What is possible, is to have a 5year moratorium on immigration, then use the information from it to carefully build our population to 23 million and then restrict child numbers to 1 per couple. This has worked in China and WILL work here. Then, Free enterprise can continue whilst maintaining a vibrant economy and a sustainable environment.

As an adjunct, HECS imposts on skills education will need to be abandoned to allow Australians the freedom to renegotiate their skill sets in a swiftly changing workplace. In most cases the skill sets of immigrants are based on rather superficial overseas courses anyway, so Aussies will quickly fill the skill shortages gap. Also, older generations are hell bent on working till they drop nowadays. They are not going to be a burden on the economy.

tubley and others

I get really p66ed off when people target farmers and gardeners with regard to our water shortage.

I live on the Sunshine Coast of Qld. Seems it is OK for resorts to use water ad infinitum for washing down pathways - and to use ++++ water every day to top up swimming pools for elite Japanese and other visitors. I can say this because my husband worked for an elite NOOSA resort in 2005. He came home every day concerned about the water that the staff were required to use on a daily basis.

Cheers
Kay

KAEP – a minimalist approach to life? I live quite well thankyou very much. But not wastefully I would like to think. Luxuries that make life worth living? Well I suppose some of us are softer than others and need extensive luxuries to enliven their otherwise boring existence.

Kay. I was not targeting farmers as a whole. I was stating my opinion that the livestock industry is not a particularly water-wise one.

Now let me define pasture: a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock.

Kay, did you know that out of all the irrigated water from the Murray River, 47.6% of it is used for pasture? I guess my one-third estimate was grossly UNDERestimated.

Please check this information for yourself at the Save the Murray Website. There is a section there on the Facts.

And Kay, I have as much concern for those other wasteful individuals you mentioned as I do for cattle farmers. I have no doubt that these resorts you speak of are very much a part of the problem.