Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, we look forward to you being part of taking the high road in supporting our inquiry this afternoon. That might be a decision for you. In the meantime, can you please explain how the government can maintain that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority remains an independent authority when an ex-Labor minister mate, whom a Labor government has appointed, is appointing his own board, circumventing the members appointed under the act? Is this not just another example of the government losing control over water? You might want to confer with Minister Wong and corroborate your stories.