by Patrick J. Byrne Even if this year’s spring brings major rains, the severe two-year drought in the Murray-Darling Basin has demonstrated that the $13 billion federal Basin Plan is unworkable, putting major rural industries (and government seats) at risk in Australia’s major food bowl. Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recent appointment of Keith Pitt as Federal Minister for Resources and Water followed angry farmer protests over inaction by his predecessor, David Littleproud. Farmers in their second year of zero water allocations have watched 24/seven the Murray River in full flow with environmental water bypass them. While politicians have washed their…
