There was an Akubra hat-sized hole at Tuesday’s ministerial committee, with then-Water Minister Barnaby Joyce absent from the federal and state meeting.
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Victorian minister Lisa Neville said the meeting had been rescheduled to accommodate the New-England by-election and it was unfortunate the deputy prime minster still did not attend.
“I am a bit disappointed,” she said. “I don’t think it would have made any difference to the outcome we saw today but these are very serious issues.
“We do need the federal Water Minister at the table.
“It is just unfortunate we’ve ended up with this timing, when there’s a reshuffle going on.”
The exact reasoning behind the no-show is not clear with Mr Joyce’s office not return calls. South Australian minister Ian Hunter said Mr Joyce had experienced plane issues on Monday night.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
