A contentious election commitment from Barnaby Joyce to move the commonwealth government’s Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority from Canberra to his northern New South Wales electorate has not yet been to cabinet for formal consideration and sign-off.
Joyce on Sunday declined to release a cost-benefit analysis examining the implications of the forced relocation of the organisation because, he said, the “Australian people” had already made the decision that it was desirable the authority be moved to Armidale.
By this, he meant he had made the promise during the election, when he was embroiled in a bitter face-off with the independent Tony Windsor, and he had won the seat of New England on 2 July.
But Guardian Australia understands the main issue preventing the public release of the cost-benefit analysis is the relocation has not yet been considered by the cabinet, which means the election promise does not yet have formal sign-off.
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, asked for the cost-benefit analysis to be undertaken in January but it was not available during the election.
In parliamentary question time on Monday the treasurer, Scott Morrison, said the analysis had cost $272,000 and he noted “the matter is for cabinet consideration.”
A spokeswoman for Joyce said Monday: “The cost-benefit analysis will form part of the government’s consideration of how to best manage the relocation of the APVMA to Armidale and any operational risks during the move period.
“This will include cabinet’s discussion of the relocation process.”
Cabinet meets in Canberra on Monday night but the issue is not scheduled for discussion this week.
Election commitments made by the major parties don’t always go through a formal cabinet process, so the lack of consideration is not, in and of itself, completely unusual.
An argument within the Labor party over recent weeks about whether or not to support the abolition of an energy supplement that would save more than $1bn has continued on in part because the savings measure was not considered by the full shadow cabinet before the election.
But the Joyce decision to shift the authority came as a shock to stakeholders and it wasn’t universally welcomed. It was criticised by influential lobby groups such as the National Farmers Federation, Animal Medicines Australia, CropLife Australia – as well as by a Liberal party colleague, the ACT senator Zed Seselja.
At the time it was announced Morrison also sounded not entirely enthusiastic, noting the government would “work through the details to make sure this can be done effectively.”
Joyce’s spokeswoman said the cost-benefit analysis, now completed, was positive about the relocation.
It contained “the completely expected finding that relocating the APVMA to Armidale will have a positive economic impact on the city and surrounding community”.
But, she added: “Few decisions are made solely on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis.
“Cost-benefit analyses by consultants provide useful input into government decision-making but it is government that takes the full range of issues and factors in account when making decisions.
“The Turnbull-Joyce government regards the APVMA relocation as in the long-term interest of the agriculture sector generally.
“Historically, Armidale has always been an agricultural centre and an educational hub, and we should build on these strong foundations.”
