In the lead-up to the 2006 Queensland State Election, water emerged as one of the biggest public concerns. This short update explains why the “Queensland water crisis” is not only about rainfall, but about how water is captured, managed, and governed. It introduces “The Doctor and the Water Crisis” as a plain-language, story-based way to explain the root causes and point toward practical solutions, and invites public discussion and political responses.
Queensland Water Crisis and the 2006 State Election
The Queensland water crisis is looming as a major issue in the forthcoming Queensland elections. After the Queensland health crisis, water may well become the second most important issue for voters in the September 2006 State Election.
Video: Mary River
A short video clip connected to these issues is available in the Mary River material. It provides a visual way to think about how water behaves in the landscape and why the way we manage water matters as much as the rainfall itself.
The Doctor and the Water Crisis
In The Doctor and the Water Crisis, Colin Austin has summarised the issues that sit at the core of the Queensland water crisis—and, more broadly, the water crisis experienced in many other parts of Australia.
The story may appear fanciful at first glance, but it is really a cover for a serious probe into the root causes of the Queensland water crisis, along with a direction for practical solutions. The aim is to make complex ideas accessible to the public, without requiring readers to wade through technical reports that most people understandably do not have time to read.
Why This Matters in an Election
Elections can be moments when public priorities become visible. When water restrictions increase, when dam levels fall, and when communities feel uncertain about the future, the political debate often narrows to large projects and quick fixes. Yet the deeper issues often remain untouched.
The central argument behind this work is that water problems are frequently driven as much by management systems and organisational structures as by the weather. If we only discuss rainfall, we miss the larger issue: how much rain is captured, where it is stored, how efficiently it is used, and whether the system is designed to adapt when conditions change.
The Doctor and the Water Crisis is intended to shift the discussion away from short-term panic and towards the deeper causes. It encourages readers to ask basic, practical questions, such as:
- Are we capturing enough of the rain that already falls?
- Are we relying too heavily on centralised systems that lose water through evaporation, leakage, or inefficiency?
- Do communities have real options for local water management?
- Are public decisions being shaped by genuine analysis or by institutional momentum?
Request for Political Comment
The Doctor and the Water Crisis has been sent to Queensland politicians, with a request that they forward their comments. These comments will be placed here—unchanged—on the Waterright website for all to see.
The purpose of publishing responses is transparency. Water policy affects every household and every industry. If politicians are prepared to comment on these issues, the public has a right to view those comments directly, in full, and without filtering.
Contact
If you would like to comment, or if you are a politician or community member who wishes to respond to the issues raised, you can email:
colinaustin@bigpond.com
Colin Austin
Kookaburra Park Eco Village
Gin Gin, Queensland, Australia 4671
