When the River Runs Dry, page-128

Have we killed the Golden Goose?

Maybe not, but it’ looking a bit plucked!

The Murray Darling region has a history of booms and busts regarding crops like citrus and grapes. 

There were periods when it cost more to harvest a  crop than the expected returns and as expected the number of new plantings plummeted.

The same occurred with grapes and on several occasions Government vine pull schemes allowed growers to replant a new crop.So why are we killing the Golden Goose?

That is IMO a situation where both citrus, grapes and almonds are going well due to an insatiable Asian demand for our products.

But a lack of water and insecurity of future supply is dampening investment.
The high costs of establishment and the lag time to full production can mean an investment disaster.

 

We should be looking to double our water supply to the Murray Darling and in response more than doubling our earnings from $30 billion to at least $60 billion.

 

How? Double our water supply via a North South pipeline---an economic No-Brainer.