Question

Certificate of drought

Answer 1

Diverting water earmarked for the environment to help drought-hit farmers would "absolutely" breach the federal Water Act, says David Papps, the former head of the Commonwealth Environment Water Office.

Mr Papps was responding to Barnaby Joyce, the former Nationals leader and special drought envoy under the Morrison government, who said such diversions were needed to address a "national emergency" as the big dry spreads.