Gippsland MHR Darren Chester said Mr Garrett had the authority to investigate the decision in order to protect Ramsar listed wetlands and any endangered species such as the native Grayling fish.

Mr Chester said he had written to Mr Garrett to highlight a section of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which he said stated that "a person must not take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance, without the approval of the Commonwealth Environment Minister''.

Mr Chester said the removal of an additional 10 billion litres from the Thomson River was expected to have a significant impact on the Ramsar listed wetlands of the Gippsland Lakes and could affect endangered species.

For more, read Friday's Gippsland Times.