9 February 2007

Whoa Katy, whoa up a second there on the water

| johnboy
Join the conversation
10

Having started the day belligerently mouthing off in the media [Canberra Times] about how the ACT wasn’t on board with the PM’s water plan Katy Gallagher has put out a media release saying now she understands it she thinks it’s A-OK.

That makes me wonder if anyone was opening Mr. Stanhope’s mail while he’s been gallivanting around India because normally everyone going into these meetings is around the detail before it starts and the detail was rather publicly posted to all the leaders.

Things get a little more alarming when Katy explains why she is now calm.

Ms Gallagher said she was happy to receive confirmation that the thrust of the Prime Minister’s plan was to better manage the allocation of water for irrigation — a matter that had almost no relevance for the ACT, where the vast bulk of water was extracted for urban use.

Now I’m pretty sure that the water doesn’t fall out of the sky with labels on it “urban use” and “irrigation”.

The ACT’s essential fall back position on water is to be able to take flows out of the world’s longest irrigation ditch, the Murrumbidgee River, possibly having purchased a release from the bigger dams upstream.

So water for irrigation is absolutely crucially relevant for the ACT. If we can guarantee a supply of irrigation water at a reasonable price we could end water restrictions tomorrow.

Fortunately the ACT has another two weeks to finally do its homework and maybe walk into the meeting fully briefed this time, albeit still behind the 8-ball after today’s fiasco.

UPDATED: Richard Mulcahy has seized on the hapless Katy’s ignorance and finished by cracking a funny.

“It is absurd that someone with so little understanding of water has been put in charge of negotiating such an important piece of national water policy. One almost wishes for the speedy the return of the Chief Minister.”

Join the conversation

10
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

While Katy comes over as flaky, Vicky Dunne doesn’t. It’s not a male/female thing.

Some goss to illustrate Katy and her band of followers: I have heard that Katy’s factional supporters at her local ALP Branch meetings regularly put forward ‘we love Katy’ motions. How pathetic and time-wasting, and indicative of what we are dealing with when we send someone like Ms G to a meeting like this water one. Anyone sensible would do, ie not Katy.

I agree Caf….it would have been better to send in a sensible middle-aged white man like everyone else.

barking toad10:26 am 09 Feb 07

It’s always handy to have a tea-lady at important meetings.

Yeah, how silly of us not to send in a sensible middle-aged white man like everyone else.

Probably better than sending in the comrade.

Can you believe we are sending a person like Katy to such a prestigious and important meeting. Howard, Turnbull, Bracks, Beattie, Iemma and our little blushing school girl, Katy.

I don’t know if you’ve considered it, but I’m thinking of re-entering the contracting market…

Charging some idiot $10k a pop to visit his farm and tell him he needs to pass the cost onto the Government still puts $10k a pop into your pocket.

She’s a tool.

Perhaps she should keep an ear on what the other premiers are saying before she engages mouth. The consensus appears to be ‘lack of information’ and ‘too broad a plan without any detail’, so “Fully Briefed” should mean she has questions, not answers.

The only reason NSW has come to the table cap in hand is because they are so far in the shit that they need the resourcing. It would have been a great time to be a fly on the wall when Dillema made that decision.

All I can see is, once again, this ‘government’ taking a stance that again puts it at odds with the federales and indeed the rest of the nation. This in turn will see the ACT marginalised and, when we go cap in hand to the Feds, shown the door with boot firmly inserted in ass.

I gather Katy is acting CM? Acting politician more like

it would be handy if the water was labeled…..

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.