Former NSW minister said farmer could use river water in dry spell, court hears
by Anne Davies from Environment | The Guardian on (#493PA)
Kevin Humphries denies telling cotton farmer Anthony Barlow he could pump water during embargo
A cotton farmer who has pleaded guilty to pumping over 153-Olympic-swimming-pools-worth of water from the Barwon River in western New South Wales during a dry spell in 2015 says he did so because he was assured by the then NSW minister for water, Kevin Humphries, there was no embargo.
The revelations are contained in Anthony Barlow's sentencing submission to the NSW Land and Environment Court. The sentencing hearing was held last week and he is now waiting to learn his fate.
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