Barnaby Joyce's call to divert environmental water to drought-hit farmers panned by conservationists

Environmentalists have slammed Australia's new drought envoy Barnaby Joyce, describing his calls to divert water to farmers as "ill-informed" and likely to inflict further harm on river communities.

Barnaby Joyce, envoy for drought recovery and
 assistance, wants to give farmers environmental water.

The former deputy prime minister, who assumed his new role at the weekend, wants the Federal Government to "borrow" water so farmers can use it to grow crops to feed livestock.

He said the drought was an emergency and should be treated like a bushfire, which would allow for resources to be taken without seeking permission.

Read the ABC News story by Brett Worthington - “Barnaby Joyce's call to divert environmental water to drought-hit farmers panned by conservationists.”

(Well, Barnaby, climate change is an emergency and wouldn’t it be great if we were to implement the changes necessary to have Australians adapt to the quickly emerging difficulties without asking permission; changes we will soon have to make according to climate activist, Bill McKibben, as we are already in World War Three, the world, at least humanity, is at war with the damage it has done to the world’s environment - Robert McLean)

Melbourne weather: When the rain is likely to hit your area hardest

Melbourne is set to be lashed with more than 100 millimetres of rain – almost double its December average rainfall – over Friday and Saturday alone, with thunderstorms and hail likely to accompany the downpour.

Melbourne's skyline under rain clouds on Friday morning.

A severe weather warning has been issued for all of Victoria as the bureau prepares for what could be the state's most significant rain event in more than 20 years.

It is difficult for weather forecasters to give a precise hour-by-hour timeline of when rainfall is likely to hit any one suburb.

"Showers and thunderstorms can bubble up very quickly during a rain event like this", says Keris Arndt, senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology 

Read the story by Liam Mannix in the Melbourne Age - “Melbourne weather: When the rain is likely to hit your area hardest.”