The Nationals have defended their last-minute decision to withdraw support for an amendment to the Murray Darling Water Bill on Thursday, which would have forced mining companies to conduct thorough ground water studies before being granted mining exploration projects.
The Nationals' decision not to support the bill has drawn strong criticism from farmers affected by coal mining developments, who have accused the party of abandoning its traditional roots and siding with mining giants.
The Nationals had previously supported the proposed amendment, which would have forced mining companies to pay for independent studies of mining impacts on ground water flows and water quality before they could be granted a mining exploration lease.
The amendment was initially moved in the House of Representatives by Independent Member for New England, Tony Windsor, and then again yesterday in the Senate by Greens Senator Bob Brown.
However, after initially supporting the amendment, the Nationals voted against it yesterday.
Mr Windsor accused the Nationals of siding with mining companies over country people.
However, the Nationals have retaliated with claims that the Tony Windsor/Greens sponsored amendment would have killed off mining exploration in the Murray Darling Basin and would have "smashed communities" heavily reliant on future exploration and mining developments.
Shadow minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, John Cobb, conceded the Coalition had initially supported the amendment when it was first promoted by Mr Windsor, but said that had been a mistake.
"Having taken Tony Windsor at his word the Coalition supported his amendment," Mr Cobb said.
"However, the unintended consequences would have been catastrophic for our communities, and we revised our view.
"The amendment as originally worded would have meant that even exploration companies flying over land using magnetic aerial exploration techniques would have had to first undertake a multi-million dollar groundwater study.
"Even a geologist with a hand held rock hammer working in the basin would have to conduct the same.
"The logical extension of Mr Windsor’s argument is that any farmer who hires a drilling rig to supply stock and domestic water would have to do a multi-million groundwater study, before they even put a bore down.
"Every year there are billions of dollars spent on mining exploration in Australia, which in the vast majority of cases does not lead to a mine being developed.
"The amendment past by the Coalition will strengthen the requirement for all mining developments to undertake groundwater studies before any project can be approved.
"It should be noted that Mr Windsor has hopped into bed with the extreme greens who want to shut down the mining, irrigation and agricultural industries and turn the Basin into one big National Park which would put thousands of Australian's out of work and turn Australia into an economic basket case."
Mr Cobb said block and cave coal mining on the Liverpool Plains was of concern and farmers have genuine concerns about the impact of this type of mining on groundwater aquifers, however stopping mining exploration elsewhere in some of the nation’s richest mineral deposits was not the answer.
"In typical Windsor fashion he has again sought to portray the Nationals as the devil incarnate, he conveniently forgets that his mates in the Labor Party are in Government at both a State and Federal level and it is the Labor Party who are refusing to undertake groundwater studies," Mr Cobb said.
"Having made a living out of bagging his former party, Mr Windsor needs to explain why he has hopped into bed with the Greens Leader Bob Brown and why he is supporting Bob Brown extreme position on climate change and the emission trading scheme.
"Tony Windsor talks about the need to guarantee food production, yet is supporting the Labor Party and Greens position on an emission trading scheme, which would see an extra 35 million hectares of prime agricultural land converted to environmental forests.
"Unlike Tony Windsor, I will not support the destruction of communities like Cobar, Nyngan, Orange and Broken Hill.
"Mining and mining exploration is vital to country communities and to the Nation’s prosperity. The Coalition believes that before any mining takes place there has to be groundwater studies undertaken to ensure that vital groundwater aquifers are not damaged. This is why we supported the revised amendment."
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