To secure a new Coalition agreement with the Nationals, Turnbull agreed to transfer responsibility for water policy (although not the water trigger in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) to the agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, from the environment minister, Greg Hunt.
The Nationals did win the transfer of responsibility for water policy (although not the water trigger in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) to the agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, from the environment minister, Greg Hunt.
The major responsibility for water resource stress developed in PRB is the agricultural sector, as irrigation water consumption accounts approximately for 95% of the total water consumption (Koutsoyiannis and Mimikou 1996; Alexandridis et al. 2014).
The local community was given a degree of responsibility for water quality, and the role of decentralization in the decision making relating to water quality control was emphasized.
Joyce told reporters on Thursday he had full responsibility for water, to "clear up any confusion".
While farmers may be reluctant to accept responsibility for water pollution, they are eager to be part of the solution.
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, transferred responsibility for water policy to the agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, as part of the new Coalition agreement with the Nationals.
The Nationals are warning Malcolm Turnbull against welching on the spirit of the Coalition agreement by giving a Liberal responsibility for water, implying that such a move would fracture government discipline in the Senate.
The Liberal MP Sharman Stone has backed the Nationals' calls for the agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, to be given full responsibility for water issues, saying they should be kept together under one portfolio.
Contrary to reports, he did not offer the Nationals billions in extra funding to get them to sign a Coalition agreement, although he did agree to transfer responsibility for water policy.
