Neutrality
The big campaign news yesterday was Peter Costello saying the Colinic Irrigation Scheme could only be supported after a feasibility study — which is Labor’s policy. This morning, it was picked up by the SMH and was on the front page of The Oz. What about the West? The entirely neutral monopoly newspaper gave it one sentence at the bottom of an article on page 8, next to a column explaining how “there is method in Colin’s madness.”
Thank you for not mentioning water recycling when discussing the “Colonic Irrigation Scheme”.
That was very kind.
I can’t understand why more commentators (and the West) aren’t jumping on the $2 billion estimate. This is cloud cuckoo land.
If the canal is 9m wide and 3m deep as Barnett said yesterday, this equates to an all up cost of only $20 per cubic metre of soil removed. This is fairly optimistic without including the cost of pumping stations, bringing power to the pumps, aquaducts over low areas, tunnels and cuttings through hills, the 1000? bridges or tunnels (needed for stock, people, cars and native animals to cross the canal), fencing, membranes to line and cover the canal, land acquisition costs etc. etc. Even the most optimistic ‘back of the envelope’ calculation will come up with a figure much higher than $2 billion.
The Perth-Mandurah railway is costing nearly $2 billion for about 80km of rail and associated infrastructure.. The idea that you could build a 3800km canal for the same money is laughable.
The canal is the sort of populist nonsense that the West would slaughter if anyone other than the Tories suggested it.
I reckon someone with access to the Stock Exchange records or ASIC find out whether any libs or the West have shares in Tenix.
This sounds VERY fishy to me.
I think Colin’s new Friend Mark Olsen is well qualified to Give Colin his Colonic Irrigation :-)
Sorry, it HAD to be said :-)
Oh, thanks for the images! XD
…And it’s a straaange day when I find myself agreeing with Costello… (the Republic is another area where I do. Arghh!)