A Canberra MP wants new Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister to scrap the APVMA move to Armidale.

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce was the leading proponent of the decision to move the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to the regional NSW city.

Now that Michael McCormack has taken Mr Joyce’s roles, ACT Labor MP Gai Brodtmann was a rethink.

“The Nationals have a new leader and with a new leader should come new direction,” Ms Brodtmann said in parliament on Monday.

“So I'm calling on the member for Riverina, the new deputy prime minister to put an end to the shameful, blatant, pork barrelling of the member for New England.”

The CPSU agrees, calling for a “rational approach” to the decentralisation policy championed by Mr Joyce and the Nationals.

Ms Brodtmann said the move had already “seen the APVMA haemorrhage staff”, losing 204 years of service with the exit of 48 staff members.

The MP said the move “has cost the Australian taxpayer $26 million already and is likely to cost the Australian taxpayer $60 million”.

The move is also opposed by industry groups and lobbies including CropLife Australia, Animal Medicines Australia and the National Farmers Federation.