THE Nationals have formally rejected a commitment by Liberal party leader, Tony Abbott, to hold a referendum on the transfer of powers controlling the Murray Darling Basin to the Commonwealth.
At the party's federal conference in Canberra at the weekend, delegates unanimously supported a motion to oppose the referendum on the second day of the meeting.
Nationals candidate for the southern NSW seat of Riverina, Michael McCormack, said there had been too much political emphasis on the environment, which he said always comes "first, second and third" without consideration for the people and communities which make their living in the basin.
He said the Murray Darling Basin had been turned into a "feel-good political cause", and he argued the South Australian election was an example of that.
Mr McCormack said the proposal would "sell out NSW".
There were no speakers against the motion.
Email a friend