Nationals vote down four-day work week and rubbing out water speculators at federal conference

The motion was among a handful of controversial ideas voted down or withdrawn from the three-day event held in Canberra.

Put forward by the NSW branch of the party, the proposal called on the federal government to investigate limiting the trade of water entitlements to those who can make productive use of the water.

Another defeated water-related motion from the NSW Nationals sought an inquiry into removing the management of the Murray-Darling River from the states and putting it under Commonwealth control.

The Federal Young Nationals floated the idea of implementing a scheme to encourage employers to permanently move to a four-day flexible working week, and to explore options to expand working-from-home opportunities, however it was voted down.

A motion to support "mechanisms to achieve" a 2050 net zero emissions target, while mitigating against any harmful impact on manufacturing industry or agriculture was withdrawn.

Another proposal to demand the rights of the Holden brand name from General Motors and restrict its use to a possible future vehicle manufactured within Australia was also withdrawn.

The conference did endorse the party's manufacturing policy, along with the establishment of a new body called Regional Infrastructure Australia, which would mirror the existing Infrastructure Australia.

Support was given to construction of Collinsville Coal Power Station if the business case proved it was viable, while nuclear and hydrogen energy were also backed.

Other motions that go up include legalising vaping, rolling dentistry services into Medicare, pressuring states to streamline approvals for resource projects and tax relief building or renovating on-farm quarantine facilities for overseas seasonal workers.

A number of urgency motions were moved, including congratulating the party on the significant number of female politicians, while rejecting gender quotas.

The federal conference also requested each of the state branches review their code of conduct in an urgency motion.