Desalination might become a viable option. Recent research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory [http://www.llnl.gov/pao/news/news_releases/2006/NR-06-05-06.html] may result in a 75% reduction in energy requirements when compared with current reverse osmotic techniques. That would equate the desalination of seawater with the energy needed to pump water over a distance of 150 kilometres.

SHONGA

On 17 July you wrote: “We must not take the "stop them at the border" approach, we must deal with the reality of the situation, that is 1500 people per week moving to Queensland.”

I addressed this on the same day.

I would love to get a reply. Do you think my points are valid…. or do we need further debate?

The fact is – mitigating or capping population growth does not have to be a draconian practice, and can be something conducted entirely within reasonable democratic parameters. Continued rapid population growth with no end in sight is something that we cannot just sit back and accept.