Premier Beattie - which part of 'NO' do you not understand ...

In a clear sign that perhaps Premier Beattie needs to further divert attention away from his errant ex-Ministers, he has hinted that Toowoomba may hold another referendum on the issue of drinking recycled sewage.

What a complete joke!

It is not quite four months since Toowoomba voted by 62% to 38% to refuse to allow recycled sewage for potable reuse.

And now Premier Beattie is considering putting Toowoomba residents through the same process yet again.

How odd. The State government doesn't regard Toowoomba as being in SEQ or part of the proposed water grid. What suddenly changed?

Perhaps he thinks he can keep CADS in Toowoomba busy fighting another referendum 'fire' while the rest of SEQ considers the same issue.

Or perhaps he needs more 'recycled sewage' headlines to take the attention off the forthcoming criminal trial of at least one ex-Beattie Minister. (If the past few days are any example, the Courier Mail is very obliging.)

Surely it can't be because Premier Beattie thinks the Yes vote would succeed this time.

Perhaps Toowoomba residents should vote on a monthly basis until such time as maybe, just maybe, they can get 50.1% to vote Yes - voting by attrition no less.

But it won't happen.

Expect a lower voter turnout for any rematch than the turnout for the referendum and the recent Council by-election. Expect more disgruntled voters angry at the waste of another say $500,000 of taxpayers' money to answer a question that has already been asked and clearly answered.

Perhaps it would be better to settle the issue over a game of rock, paper and scissors.

Ultimately, any SEQ recycled sewage referendum is a no-brainer for Premier Beattie. He doesn't care which way the vote goes.

If the majority vote Yes, he pours recycled sewage into Wivenhoe Dam and pats himself on the back for adopting a quick and dirty fix to SEQ's water source issues - the lazy approach to water infrastructure.

If the majority vote No, he says the people don't want to drink the stuff and goes on with his dams.

Either way, he doesn't care. That's politics.

It is, however, further political flip-flopping from Premier Beattie. Compare his recent comments with his view back in July 2006 - 'Southeast Queensland would have enough drinking water if companies rather than people drank effluent, says Premier Peter Beattie' - see - Premier Beattie prefers recycled water for non-potable use.

Further, forcing Toowoomba residents to vote again would be a monumental mistake.

By extending the vote to Toowoomba, Premier Beattie will reignite the passion which saw Mayor Thorley's crazy scheme defeated. Some opponents may have been content to sit on the sidelines and watch the SEQ referendum - but they won't if Premier Beattie threatens Toowoomba once again.

Premier Beattie needs to understand that NO means NO.

The Round 2 bell is sounding - the opponents are well rested after four months - bring it on ...