Crossbench senators push for water policy rethink to help Australian farmers

Seven of the eight Senate crossbenchers want work on the Murray-Darling basin plan to be paused until a committee report is handed to parliament

Social and economic considerations should be given the same weighting as environmental impacts in the distribution of water, crossbenchers have told the federal government in a rare show of unity.

Seven of the eight Senate crossbenchers have thrown their support behind changes to water policy, including modifying the 2007 Water Act to better reflect the will of farmers.