The federal opposition has compared water minister Penny Wong to Saddam Hussein over her handling of the crisis in the Murray Darling Basin.
Opposition water spokesman Greg Hunt made the comment in relation to the unfolding ecological crisis in South Australia's wetlands and lower lakes, which are at the mouth of the ailing river system.
"Penny Wong and prime minister (Kevin) Rudd are set to join Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athists of Baghdad as only the second government in the world to have presided over the destruction of a RAMSAR-listed wetland," he told ABC Television.
Mr Hunt accused the Australian government of "an act of monumental environmental vandalism without precedent in Australian history".
The freshwater lower lakes are turning to acid because their water levels are so low.
Authorities are considering flooding the freshwater lower lakes with seawater to stop the acidification.
Critics have called on governments to instead buy more water from upstream irrigators to save the lakes.
