Auditor-general to examine water buybacks

The auditor-general will review all taxpayer-funded water purchases since 2008 as the coalition looks to ease pressure over a controversial buyback worth almost $80 million.

Water has been in the spotlight since questions re-emerged about then-water minister Barnaby Joyce's role in approving the 2017 purchase of 28.7 gigalitres from Eastern Australia Agriculture.

"This morning I have written to the auditor-general of the Australian National Audit Office to ask him to review all water purchases from 2008 onward to make sure the community can continue to have confidence in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan," Agriculture Minister David Littleproud told reporters in Tamworth on Tuesday.