The theory is that the sufferer will go mad through not knowing for certain when the water will strike their head.

Southern Riverina irrigator Chris Brooks seems to be engaging in a metaphorical type of water torture for the federal government.

Having been a critic of water policy, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and Farrer MP and government minister Sussan Ley, the shadow of Mr Brooks has loomed large.

His latest step is announcing plans to register his own political party with the aim of running candidates in Farrer and other federal seats that have a large irrigation component.

They include Nicholls and Mallee, which contain Shepparton and Mildura respectively, and Riverina, the electorate held by Nationals leader Michael McCormack.

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It is not the first time Mr Brooks will have bankrolled a candidate in Farrer, having assisted independent Kevin Mack in his Pause the Plan campaign that failed against Ms Ley at last year's election.

Mr Brooks hoped having the Albury mayor as his contender would win votes in Farrer's biggest city and those combined with ballots from disaffected irrigation communities would overwhelm Ms Ley.

The reality was that Mr Mack was unable to achieve that task and Ms Ley kept the seat, despite predictions should would lose.

The result showed Ms Ley has a strong personal vote and that bridging such a diverse electorate is hard.

That last point is evidenced by irrigation being central to those living in places such as Griffith, Deniliquin and Finley, while water allocations are not at the front of Albury voters' minds.

To win in Farrer, Mr Brooks' party will need to overcome that split in the electorate.

If he is unable to do so and the ripples from his stone throwing fail to spread, Mr Brooks will be left feeling as though he is a victim of figurative water torture.

Nevertheless we wish him well, because politics should be about debating ideas and vigorously contested elections.