Australian river plan under threat

6:15AM Monday July 30, 2007

The Australian Government's A$10 billion ($11.1 billion) Murray-Darling rescue plan is in jeopardy after the Queensland Nationals withdrew their support for it.

The party's state conference voted to oppose the commonwealth's draft water bill in its current form. And John Brumby, who will be sworn in as Victoria's new Labor premier this week, said his state would not back down from its opposition to the proposed federal takeover of the Murray-Darling river system.

The plan is backed by the NSW, Queensland, South Australian and ACT governments.