Tensions over potential new water minister as PM prepares Cabinet reshuffle after Nationals Basin Plan stunt

All eyes will be on Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce’s pick for water minister when a new frontbench is unveiled as early as Friday.

Scott Morrison’s pick for water minister will be a flash point for tensions over the River Murray when his new-look frontbench is unveiled as early as Friday.

The Prime Minister is facing mounting calls from the Opposition to strip the portfolio off the National Party after their second attempt to “blow up” the Murray Darling Basin Plan in two days.

South Australian Liberals want current water minister Keith Pitt to keep the portfolio or for it to go back to former minister David Littleproud.

Water Minister Keith Pitt in Question Time. Picture: Martin Ollman

SA Liberal figures have baulked at speculation Victorian Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie could be in line for the role, after she led the push to drastically change the Basin Plan this week.

The Nationals’ push to change the Basin Plan has escalated tensions between the Coalition parties, which have been mounting since the leadership spill on Monday.

State Water Minister David Speirs on Thursday said some of Senator McKenzie’s views on the plan “rely on voodoo science” like draining the lower lakes.

Mr Speirs was also one of the SA politicians who slammed a Nationals claim that “the Science no longer supports SA needing fresh water”.

The statement was included as a talking point on Nationals MP Damian Drum’s list of amendments when he tried again on Thursday to scrap the Basin Plan’s requirement to recover 450GL of water for the environment.

Mr Drum’s bid was quickly slapped down by the Liberals in the House of Representatives, but led to bizarre scenes including Speaker Tony Smith threatening to kick Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce out of the chamber for interjecting.

Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce during Question Time. Picture: Martin Ollman

In a joint letter to Mr Morrison, SA’s federal Liberal MPs said they appreciated the “constructive way in which the current Minister for Water Keith Pitt has engaged with river communities and other stakeholders”.

Mr Pitt and Mr Littleproud are also both Nationals MPs from Queensland, with less of a stake in the Basin than their Victorian counterparts.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the reshuffle was a decision for Mr Morrison and Mr Joyce, but he didn’t think it was likely Senator McKenzie would be in the water portfolio.

He told ABC radio the Nationals’ move was never expected to succeed, and they were simply representing concerns in their electorates.

Liberal Member for Sturt James Stevens said he was “white-hot furious” about the Nationals’ attempt to “blow up” the Basin Plan.

.@SenatorWong and entire SA Labor federal team call on @ScottMorrisonMP to strip Nationals of the water portfolio after yet another stunt today seeking to change Basin Plan @theTiserpic.twitter.com/OsPPKwFHMx

— Claire Bickers (@claire_bickers) June 24, 2021

Member for Barker Tony Pasin told the ABC river communities needed certainty from Canberra, and that the Nationals’ push had never been likely to succeed.

He said it was important to note the 450GL was not unconditional and could be recovered only if there was no socio-economic impact to river communities, like the Riverland.

SA’s federal Labor politicians held a joint press conference to urge Mr Morrison to remove the Nationals from the water portfolio.

“If a National Party member is made the Minister for Water tomorrow, we know that that is the end of the Murray Darling plan,” Senator Penny Wong said.

She said it would be “a betrayal of South Australians”.