Drought after Australia floods: ‘The nature of the continent will reassert itself and we will be in trouble again’
By Jane Cowan
Tuesday, February 1, 2011 ELEANOR HALL: It was with a touch of irony that Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kim Beazley, opened a World Bank drought conference today. Mr Beazley admitted it was a tough job selling Australia’s expertise on drought with so much of the country under water. But he urged the audience not to be fooled by the recent floods, which he said would do little to ease Australia’s long term problems with drought. North America correspondent Jane Cowan went along to the summit in Washington. JANE COWAN: Kim Beazley found himself in the odd position of spruiking Australia’s water credentials just weeks after floods of biblical proportions devastated huge swathes of the country. KIM BEAZLEY: We are at the moment not a convincing advocate of the problems of dry continents. I’ve, it’s been pointed out to me once or twice that I no longer represent a continent, I represent an archipelago. JANE COWAN: But, as a West Australian, Kim Beazley pointed out much of Australia is still in the grip of drought and that the current flood disaster in no way marked the end of Australia’s broader water shortage. KIM BEAZLEY: One thing we do know – that when these floods have passed as they will do – then the natural nature of the continent will reassert itself and we will be in trouble again. Our vulnerability to environmental crises has been exposed by the events of the past decade. Our response has been dictated by necessity and this battle continues. …
