Living in "Thorley world" ...

When you live in the somewhat parallel world of Mayor Thorley, you get to say anything, no matter how inaccurate it is.

For example, Mayor Thorley's comments on ABC Radio today:

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: If the community of Toowoomba doesn't agree to drink recycled water, Di Thorley says dry communities like hers will have few options left.

DI THORLEY: I can't see where we're going to find any of this miracle water, you know. We've decimated the underground aquifers, and that's been proven all over Australia.

Source - ABC Radio - PM - Water price hike predicted unless action taken.

Only today, the following comments were made in relation to aquifers in Western Australia:

A report by the CSIRO and Monash University says water prices will increase significantly, particularly in Perth and Brisbane if Australia's population increases by another five million people.

Professor Yorg Imberger from the Water Research Centre at the University of Western Australia says he strongly disagrees.

Professor Imberger says there is enough water in the Yarragadee aquifer to supply Perth for 1,000 years.

"I'm very surprised about it, I mean it sounds like nonsense to me actually," he said.

Source - ABC News - Expert sceptical of Perth water price rise prediction.

Sounds like a pretty misleading comment by Mayor Thorley.

Isn't Sydney relying on underground aquifers as part of its water strategy? Doesn't the Great Artesian Basin contain vast amounts of water?

Mayor Thorley also refused to be drawn on any prediction for the outcome of the 29 July referendum:

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: He's [Brisbane's Mayor] more interested in desalinating water to increase Brisbane's supply, while just west of Brisbane Toowoomba's Mayor, Di Thorley, is trying to convince her community of the benefits of recycling sewerage for drinking water.

It's an idea which will go to a vote in a referendum next month, but it's a vote Di Thorley isn't confident of winning.

DI THORLEY: I make no predictions on that. I… you have to leave it to a community to make that decision.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: You don't have a sense of the community view?

DI THORLEY: Well, look, you know, it depends on what given day. You know, if you listen to the… if you're a person that's with the "no" vote, you would say the "no" vote's going to get up. If you're someone with the "yes" vote, you know. I mean, people will tell you what they think that they want you to hear.

So I'm quite happy to leave it to the night of the 29th.

Source - ABC Radio - PM - Water price hike predicted unless action taken.

What ever happened to "70% of Toowoomba people support the project"?

More likely than not, Toowoomba residents have already made up their minds about Mayor Thorley's controversial recycled sewage project.

It must be fun living in that parallel world where you think you can say anything you like on the Toowoomba recycled sewage debate without worrying if you are misleading the Toowoomba public:

Thorley World, Thorley World

It's Sewage Time, It's Excellent

Thorley World, Thorley World

It's Deception Time, It's Excellent

(with apologies to Wayne and Garth)