Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has been accused of pork barreling following his push to move a pesticides and veterinary medicine regulator to his northern NSW electorate.
Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says moving the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale would be a disaster and would lead to a loss of expertise.
"Staff are largely highly technical people, professionals, scientists ... have their kids in school in Canberra, and we are already seeing they are looking around for new jobs," he told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
Mr Joyce has vowed to bring 195 jobs to Armidale.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the chemical regulator's customers were not farmers.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"They are the big multinational chemicals companies which obviously sit within our capital cities," he said.
