'Deranged … betrayal of his office'

State Labor's Luke Foley has launched a stinging attack on the Nationals. Photo: Dean Osland

NSW Labor environment spokesman Luke Foley has branded senior Nationals, including Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, "deranged" over their response to the killing of a government employee by a farmer involved in a land-clearing dispute.

Mr Foley said the comments sought to "justify" or "explain away" the alleged shooting murder of environment compliance officer Glen Turner on Tuesday and were of "the same mindset that led to right-wing American extremists committing the Oklahoma bombing".

"For politicians as senior as the Deputy Premier of the state and the federal Agriculture Ministerto endorse rage against land-clearing laws is a betrayal of their offices," Mr Foley said.

"Are some of Australia's conservatives now so angry and deranged that they can explain way or 'understand' armed attacks on government employees?

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"Murder should be condemned in all circumstances," Mr Foley said.

"Surely all mainstream politicians in Australia should unequivocally condemn taking up arms against one's government."

NSW Coffs Harbour MP Andrew Fraser, also a member of the Nationals, was quoted on Friday as describing the alleged murder of Mr Turner by farmer Ian Turnbull at Croppa Creek, north of Moree, as "a tragic event that I think has been brought about by bad legislation".

Mr Stoner, who is leader of the NSW Nationals, was quoted in the same newspaper article as stating that NSW land clearing laws "have been a sore point in farming communities since they were introduced by a Labor-Greens alliance in 2003".

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'Deranged ... betrayal of his office'