P.M: they deserve a desalination plant in Adelaide.
Adviser: I agree, they deserve one in Adelaide, certainly, but it will cost $2.5 billion.
P.M: We can only afford $1 billion.
Adviser: It's only Adelaide and they don't understand things like us up in Canberra.
P.M: What do we do?
Adviser: We'll promise a $100 million mock-up and then not put anyone on the job of doing it.
P.M: I'm just thinking that's a good idea.
Adviser: Come to think of it, we could do it for about $30 million if it's only a cheap mock-up.
P.M: Then we could delay it, the rains will come and then we won't have to build one at all.
Adviser: Just a few million dollars on storm drains.
P.M. I agree, we'll budget just $5 million and run them round in circles. If anyone complains we'll blame it on John Howard, he did nothing during his long reign.