Push for decentralisation inquiry an 'exercise in political spin'

The government is expected to move for a select committee inquiry looking into decentralisation that would source its members from the House of Representatives, where it has a majority.

Opposition regional spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says the probe would be an exercise in spin for the government, which has used a Senate inquiry into the troubled relocation of the pesticides authority to encourage regions to show their support for decentralisation.

Comment was sought from the office of Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, who has spearheaded the decentralisation push.

In a final draft of the motion, the Coalition wants the inquiry to look at how moving public servants to the bush would "improve governance and service delivery", identify the characteristics of agencies that would be suited to relocating, and towns suitable to host them.

It would also consider different models of decentralisation, including moving individual roles and parts of agencies.

However the House committee would draw six of its 10 members from the government, three from Labor and one crossbencher.

Labor wants a joint inquiry with MPs and senators looking at the needs of regional communities and examining the controversial decentralisation project, which would tear agencies from Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.

But Mr Fitzgibbon said the government wanted to control the probe by stacking it with Coalition MPs.

"They were fearful we may have the numbers in both houses to establish a select committee," he said.

"They want to be able to control all the recommendations."