Half right there Blair. The other part of the public opinion equation ios the morality of various uses. of course, no-one agrees on that. They don't even discuss it. You have to infer it from statements. Here's an example or two.
Shepparton politician: Moral value 1: Stock and domestic use by farmers. 2 Domnestic use in Shepparton. 3 Irrigation use in Shepparton. 4 Stock and domestic use in Coliban. 5 Domestic use in Bendigo.
Now, Coliban side.
1. Domestic indoor use in Bendigo
2. Apple growers at Harcourt
3. Stock and domestic use in the Coliban system
4. Bendigo gardens
When you don't hear a discussion about this, you can't expect to hear rational debate.
'when there is rational debate on water in Australia' is a bit like 'when there is peace in the Middle East'...