An independent public inquiry is the only way to restore confidence in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan after NSW farmers allegedly misused water for cotton irrigation, Victoria's water minister says.
Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville says the allegations are "deeply concerning" and urgent action is needed to restore public confidence in the integrity of the plan.
"It is not appropriate for the Murray Darling Basin Authority to investigate these allegations because its role needs to be independently scrutinised if public trust is to be restored," Ms Neville said on Thursday.
The call comes after a collection of South Australian MPs demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the allegations, which were first aired on the ABC's Four Corners program.
Ms Neville says Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's plan for an investigation by the authority should be abandoned.
"The public inquiry must examine the role of both the NSW government and the MDBA and undertake a strategic basin-wide investigation into compliance and enforcement," she said.
"The community needs to know the truth behind allegations that water allocated for the environment, towns, and downstream irrigators instead went to a few big irrigators."
The ABC alleged billions of litres of water earmarked for the environment had been diverted for cotton irrigation in NSW.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and a group of federal senators including Penny Wong, Nick Xenophon, Cory Bernardi and Sarah Hanson-Young also recently called for an independent inquiry.
