Unfair water restrictions

[Michaelangelica]

* Australian Federal government gives $500.00 water tank rebate if water is NOT used on the garden
* NSW Government relaxes water restrictions "OK for kids to play under sprinklers in heatwave."
* You can get a permit for extra water use here -from your pool shop -to fill up your pool

Gardens, plants,trees and the environment come off second best everytime.

[Hamishmac]

Couldn't agree more.

We organic gardeners/permies all grow a contribution for the kitchen table in a far more water-efficient and environmentally sensitive manner than many commercial growers, yet receive no credit or allowance for this.

However as this is not deemed 'significant economic activity' where goods/services and money change hands it seems to be regarded as some sort of quaint pastime or leisure activity only.

That is not to say I would like it classed as economic activity. Then it would become taxable. Just treated fairly.

Hamish

[springtide]

It looks like the government doesn't want gardens as they use up more water - regardless of the bigger picture (food carbon print, health, education, etc). Banning kids under sprinklers would loose them votes if some mum got fined and took it to some tabloid tv show. Not being able to fill up your pool when they evaporate around 2 centimetres/ day and with a 4 by 10 metre pool = 800 litres/ day - pool covers should be compulsory!!.... At any rate the Gov't aint too bright about this stuff.
I would reccomend putting the tank on a stand, near a toilet and plumbing it in with 2 taps - 1 for the loo and 1 open to drain the tank (to the garden) even if the loo tap never gets used. On the other hand Victoria keeps playing with the idea of a water tank tax so potentially would you want a rebate when it would put you on a government list for one of the stupidest tax ideas i have ever heard of. De-sal plants will continue to happen, the government won't be able to afford them and private companies putting up the money may stipulate this as a condition. :ANAL: (couldn't resist using that emoticon - i mean big companies screwing us and being happy at our expense)
Does the rebate require you to have the tank installed by a professional? - there is around $250 gone before you start. (Get the tank with a leaf/insect screen, put it near a down pipe and cut the pipe to suit and connect the overflow to the bottom of the downpipe - easy!)
I think there will be a lot of stupid laws passed and revoked before all this gets sorted.

[Michaelangelica]

Couldn't agree more.

We organic gardeners/permies all grow a contribution for the kitchen table in a far more water-efficient and environmentally sensitive manner than many commercial growers, yet receive no credit or allowance for this.

. . snip)f quaint pastime or leisure activity only.

That is not to say I would like it classed as economic activity. Then it would become taxable. Just treated fairly.

Hamish

I think most gardeners are water conscious than most using mulches etc

I wouldn't worry about taxes There is no sales tax on fresh, unprocessed food in Australia.
Do you get a tax deduction for your imputs-fertiliser, poo, water seed etc?
When yank greed can throw the whole world into economic turmoil taxing permies is the least of our worries.

Water for spar baths-fine Just don't use the spar grey water on your garden it is illegal.

[Shade]

Pool covers are compulsory in some areas. My sister had to shell out $800 to get one (with no rebate).

However, I find that due to the permaculture principles applied in my garden, I find I'm not as reliant on water as I used to be. Everyone around where I live pretty much ignores the restrictions anyway and waters regardless.

One thing I find heinous is the water allocation system on the River Murray at the moment. Businesses are getting away scot free by loading up trucks downstream (and usually at night) and taking it to their crop area. There should be something done about that I think.