Labor promises powerful water buy inquiry

Labor has promised to establish an inquiry with the powers of a royal commission to investigate controversial taxpayer-funded water buybacks worth almost $80 million if it wins government.

The opposition's water spokesman Tony Burke says only a commission of inquiry with coercive powers could properly investigate the 2017 purchase of 28.7 gigalitres from two Queensland properties.

"Labor has not received a satisfactory response to the many questions we have asked of the Morrison government about purchases made during Barnaby Joyce's time as minister," he said on Wednesday.