LETTERS: Dams sitting idle

WITH the drought front and centre for rural and regional communities, it would surprise most Queenslanders that we have by no means run out of water.

TAKE ACTION; Dale Last wants to know why so much water is sitting idle in the state's dams.

Dams sitting idle

WITH the drought front and centre for rural and regional communities, it would surprise most Queenslanders that we have by no means run out of water - in fact our dams are quite full and sitting idle just waiting to be used by our farmers.

Queensland's regional dams and irrigation schemes remain well-stocked with an impressive 103 per cent available.

In 2017-18 SunWater only delivered 55 per cent of its water entitlements and 54 per cent the year before - in what were both particularly dry years.

This means there is a lot of water, around 1.2mL, sitting in dams across Queensland.

Why isn't available water being used by our drought-affected farmers and communities, instead being left to evaporate in our dams?

Sadly, water is going to waste in our dams everyday due to the eye-wateringly high costs of electricity.

Farmers and irrigators can't afford to pump water from the dams to their properties due to the Palaszczuk Labor Government's sky-high electricity prices.

We know that when it comes to agricultural production more water means more production, more jobs and prosperity for rural and regional communities - especially during times of drought.

It's time for the Palaszczuk Labor Government to step up and take action to make electricity more affordable.

The LNP has committed to ending the divide between regional Queensland and the Southeast corner by delivering affordable and reliable electricity no matter what your postcode.

DALE LAST

Opposition natural resources spokesman

Big thanks

WE WISH to say thank you to the great young man who delivers the newspaper to Pine Creek customers.

He definitely does go above and beyond, and this is gratefully received by us.

Please be so kind as to pass on our thanks for a job well done.

SANDRA R CHARLES

Pine Creek

Rudd blew budget

SUNDAY, October 14 marked a very special day for Max and the true believers.

That day marked the 10-year birthday that Kevin '07' Rudd decided to blow the previous federal LNP 10 billion dollar budget surplus.

Santa came early 10 years ago but Christmas hung around for another two years which created a quagmire which even Macgyver, Houdini or Errol Flynn couldn't escape from.

It is appropriate to remind the voters that fibs, lies, untruths and false news sound credible when the chips are down.

One-sided facts like one-sided science seem to be only strategy the Labor-Greens use to push their agenda.

To the voters, on October 13, 2008, there was a budget surplus of 10 billion dollars.

Santa came to town on October 14, 2008.

LEX ROBERTS

Avoca

Population increase

THE LNP consistently boast of creating a million jobs since being elected in 2013.

ABS figures clearly show increased population in Australia during that period at almost two million.

Therefore the number of jobs needed has fallen short by the best part of a million.

The increasing population also explains the problems with under funding in education, healthcare and infrastructure that the government express in bland dollar terms, ignoring the reality of inflation and the need caused by the additional number of people.

MAX TANZER

Elliott Heads

Food solution

TUESDAY was World Food Day and it aim is to draw attention to those around the globe who are hungry and to help alleviate their suffering.

This year's theme is "our actions are our future” and there is one action that we can take that is,not only the most important, it's also the easiest.

Currently vast amounts of nutritious food such as oats, corn, barley, soy beans, rice etc are fed to farmed animals.

If that food was, instead, fed directly to humans, far more food would be available.

So the best action we can take to alleviate world hunger is to cut out animal products and adopt a wholesome plant-based diet.

With the wealth of plant-based options readily available today, switching has never been easier.

JENNY MOXHAM

Monbulk, Vic