Chapter 24

There was still some dust and dirt, but little noise when I got to the office on Wednesday, clad in my brown suit. I worked my way through the mail and the phone slips and was mulling the interview schedule when Chaz arrived. We chatted briefly about his trip — they were leaving this Saturday and returning the following one — and about what he wanted for Floreat. I told Mona to get to work on ads and on salary range. I then told Chaz about our disappointment with the house on College Road. He was sympathetic, but we both knew what Australia did to older structures.

We went for pizza lunch and then drove to the television offices. I got Chaz a sticker for his lapel and we obediently waited for someone to escort us. A few minutes later we were back in the conference room, but Sue had the producer and an attorney with her. I introduced Chaz and proceeded to glance at and sign a set of forms: permissions, assignment of rights, assignment of funds (to the University), etc. Nothing looked "dangerous." The attorney took them off and returned with copies in a neat portfolio, shook my hand, nodded at Chaz, and left.

"Well," said Sue, "now that the nonsense is over, let's try to be serious."

"Okay," I said. "Chaz is here because I want him on a programme at some point. Perhaps three or four. He's my assistant director for Western Australia and is particularly interested in water."

"No problem," said the producer. "Now, I'd like to hear you say something about yourself and then about this State."

"I'm Gordon Hollister. I'm the Director of the CSIRO for Western Australia and the Northern Territory. I've a doctorate in entomology and a commission as Lieutenant in the Navy. I was awarded a PSM about 18 months ago. I've a wife and a son. We live in Wembley Heights. Western Australia is in a crucial position. In terms of natural resources. iron and nickel ore, for example, we're wealthy. We've also been blessed with the wheatbelt and the forests and vines in the southeast. But we're plundering our resources. We're over-using the water. We've introduced alien species. And we're building in places that may well be metres under water in a few decades." I paused. "Is that enough?"

"Enough for me," the producer said. "You're going to scare me to death." He turned to Chaz. "And you?"

"I'm Charles Stuart Eyre. I'm Gordy's assistant director. My office is in Floreat and my principal interest is in water supply. I've done a study of the area near Geraldton, where the developers have brought about a near disaster. And it will be a disaster in five years or so."

"Can't the government do something?"

"I've written the third report on the problem. The answer is simply: No. Corporate profits and political expediency have proven more urgent considerations than either the natural world or human civilization. Our political systems are incapable of discharging the main function of government: to protect us from each other. The worrisome fact is that the whole world is not really addressing the correct and proper use of water, which if not dear, will soon be a thing of the past. Resorting and making sure that not much evaporation takes place or better still that input and output are totally in balance, wherever water as a source or resource is in use, is a necessity, not an option."

"Wow! You guys are scary! Sue, you do what you want. I'm okay on this. Set up a taping schedule for — oh, four five-minute segments. Thank you both." He nodded and left.