What do you think of the election prospects of a gay, anti-war, anti-FTA, pro-UN, left leaning, private school educated eldest son of a 3Cs family (Conservative, Country, Catholic)?

I am an Australian citizen recently returned after living in Europe, principally the UK, since 1998. As such, discovering and reading WebDiary has been interesting. I must admit that although I had seen the link on www.smh.com.au I hadn't followed it until I read 'Not Happy, John'. Thank you.

After reading your book and catching up on the on-line debate I have decided to follow your suggestion and get involved. Although my distaste at the leadership of Our Beloved Mollusc (John Howard) was a factor in my departure to Europe in early 1998 I was unaware of the depths to which Australian Democracy had sunk, having returned to Australia a month after the private visit of the President of the USA to Australia. The details revealed in NHJ were shocking and have led to my recommending the book to all and sundry.

The woman who I intend to suborn as my Campaign Manager and Hatchet Woman at the next Federal Election (when I stand for the Senate in NSW as an Independent) is two-thirds of the way through the book and angry as hell.

Has there been any sustained debate or comment in Webdiary, regarding the proposed water conservation legislation and the associated perpetual water licenses to NSW irrigators? I have concerns about the willingness of a purportedly Labour Government, to provide 'Financial Stability' to water license holders who are often nowhere near the source of their water. As an example, a number of artificial irrigators in the Macquarie Valley receive water that travels through open channels for more than 60 km before arriving at their non-riparian (off-river) properties.

These irrigators are to be given perpetual water licenses and be paid compensation if the state government has to reduce their water allocation in an attempt to maintain the dying riparian ecosystem.

By contrast the World Heritage listed wetlands of the Macquarie Marshes are dying, particularly after being bypassed by irrigation channels, and natural irrigators whose holdings are within the boundaries of those wetlands and who often purchased those holdings as drought proofed by flooding receive no licenses (as they were not allowed them), no (or little) water, no compensation and no viable guarantees. When Burrendong Dam was built in the 1960s they were assured, by the NSW Minister for Water Resources, that rather than flooding 6 or 7 years in 10 they would get it 10 years out of 10. Latterly they have been lucky to have small floods 3 years in 10.

The motto of the natural irrigators around the Macquarie Marshes is 'A fat duck means fat cattle' - indicating their understanding that sustaining the wetlands is vital to their continued existence. At the moment, neither seems likely.

By contrast cotton growers who require artificial irrigation, raise the salt table, spread fertiliser and spray on vast quantities of herbicide and insecticide to protect their crops, chemicals which eventually flow into the natural waterways poisoning fish and other animals and have been implicated in algae bloom outbreaks across the western waterways, have a very powerful and effective lobbying group. Would it be churlish to point out that the great media man himself, Kerry Packer, has large holdings in cotton growing in NSW and that many millions of dollars have been made by the artificial irrigators around the state to the detriment of the environment and other river users?

Perhaps it is something worth exploring, particularly as the Federal Government is backing that same water plan.

Correspondence will be entered into. Daniel O'Brien, son of a farmer and grazier, grandson of same, great-grandson of same - all in the Macquarie Valley.