THE Coalition would continue to buy water from farmers if it were elected, despite criticising the way the Labor government has managed its 10-year, $3.1 billion purchases for the environment.
The government has claimed the coalition would halt the buybacks, but the opposition's water spokesman, Barnaby Joyce, said the water policy he had written for the Coalition would consider the economic, social and environmental dimensions of water reform, The Australian Financial Review reports.
"There is a capacity to purchase water in certain areas without decimating a community," he told The Australian Financial Review.
"The classic example is Cubbie Station, which offered some of their water for sale but [Water Minister] Penny Wong wouldn't purchase it.
"There are people willing to sell portions of their water and I shouldn't have a problem with that, as long as it doesn't decimate the community."
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