Government to spend millions buying water from company it already paid $80m
Written by Anne Davies
Money will go to Eastern Australia Agriculture – founded by energy minister Angus Taylor – for additional water to save rare wetlands
The federal government is spending up to $2m buying water from Queensland agribusiness Eastern Australia Agriculture in a bid to keep an internationally significant wetlands from dying, despite paying $80m to the same company three years ago for water rights for the same purpose.
The $80m purchase of overland flows from Eastern Australia Agriculture has been controversial and is now under scrutiny by Australian National Audit Office.
Related: Government rejected several offers on water rights before reaching $80m deal
Related: Cotton, water and Angus Taylor: how the minister's firm struggled to make farms pay
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