| Abstract: | The political fallout from the release of the Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan in the Murray‐Darling is illustrative of the difficulties associated with reallocating water resources in this context. The response of Minister Burke has been somewhat predictable, with a resurgent interest in public subsidy of irrigation infrastructure evident. This article is used to examine the policy background to the Guide and critically consider further subsidy of irrigation infrastructure. The article concludes that infrastructure investment at the expense of the public purse will fail to deal with the problems at hand and generate a plethora of additional future problems. |
