Former Nationals leader Tim Fischer has declared the management of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan "not good enough" under the coalition.
Nationals seats are under threat at the May 18 federal election as concerns over water management seep through angry communities across the basin.
"It's going to be a tough election in some seats" Mr Fischer told AAP on Thursday.
"There's been a drought but there's also been a clunky management of elements of the Murray Darling Basin-Plan - not good enough."
He said Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Water Minister David Littleproud had been working on addressing issues with the plan.
Barnaby Joyce was water minister for more than four years after the coalition came to power in 2013.
Mr Fischer said Mr McCormack was "off to a flying start" in his first 14 months as party leader, lavishing praise on the promised National Water Grid.
Earlier in the week, the coalition made an election commitment to establish the grid - a new statutory authority to guide the construction of dams.
Mr Fischer said there were a number of sites across NSW and Queensland ripe for development under the grid.
"The National Water Grid - full marks," he said.
Mr Fischer also backed Mr McCormack to stay on as leader after the election.
He said the deputy prime minister faced the difficulty of dealing with everything from water policy to controversy surrounding Brunei's national carrier flying into Australia after the introduction of Sharia law.
"You've just got to keep across 101 issues - not easy," Mr Fischer.
The revered Nationals figure returned to his birthplace at Lockhart, near Wagga Wagga, on Thursday to attend the opening of a museum exhibition about his life.
Every mobile phone he's used - except the one in his pocket - is on showcase, along with his Akubra hat with sweat included.
Five panels chart his journey through state and federal parliaments to his time as ambassador to the Holy See in the Vatican.
After jumping on his old blue Ford tractor at the opening, Mr Fischer was due to head back to Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre for more leukaemia treatment.
"Almost in remission, not quite. I am just uplifted by this nice gallery," he said.
Share
