Australian landscape restorer: You know what Australia needs to do to prevent bad weather? More landscape restoration

More storms on the way unless we learn to manage the land

The most interesting explanation I have heard for the extreme weather comes from a landscape restorer, Peter Andrews.

He chooses (d).

''Our landscape is still on a dramatic downward spiral,'' he told me. ''When the heavy rains came recently I saw the Goulburn River was running brown. The river was thick with soil. About one farm an hour was being carried down that river. ''

He discounts the argument that we are seeing the impact of global warming. ''The whole global warming argument misses the point. Yes, we are facing an environmental disaster. Yes, it is urgent. Yes, it is caused by our own activities. But we have misdiagnosed the problem … In terms of dealing with Australia's problems, the global warming industry is a giant con.''