Looking increasingly troppo, Darwin and Townsville residents are sweltering and wandering what has happened to the rain bearing monsoons . Territory cattlemen are worried because grass will not germinate without rain , providing a grim outlook for Dry season grazing. In North Queensland, barramundi fishermen blame the poor catch on the lack of monsoonal rain . Ants are also making their presence felt in houses , appearing in large numbers , steams of them heading into ceilings as if to indicate a tsunami is on the way . They have also taken an alarming interest in my computer ; when I slipped into the parliamentary library in Darwin to snaffle some more state secrets, they emerged by the score and I surreptitiously squashed them. Don’t be surprised if the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly proves to be itchy and scratchy. This torrid situation inspired our irritable resident artist -“Jack the Dripper” Pollock-to create another masterpiece , drawing on a snapshot of rainwater and blown wattle and leaves reflected in a blue wheelbarrow.
