Independent candidate for Farrer Kevin Mack say it's "tokenistic" at best, and Griffith Business Chamber Vice President Paul Pierotti agrees.

However Rice Growers Association president Jeremy Morton and long-time irrigator John Bonnetti are seeing nothing but positives from the move at this stage, but concede "time will tell".

"The announcement that the MDBA will open a Griffith office with 48 jobs shared between Griffith and Mildura is tokenistic at best," Mr Mack said.

"The federal government says there will be 103 jobs spread across the Murray-Darling Basin, but that will be only one-third of its total staff, most of whom will remain in Canberra.

"How long will we have to wait until these positions are relocated and this decentralisation plan is realised?"

Mr Pierotti seconded these claims, calling the selection "hodge podge" instead of the whole organisation like the chamber had called for originally.

"The Griffith Business Chamber has been working for a very long time for a real and meaningful relocation of the MDBA to Griffith, not a tokenistic handful of people," Mr Pierotti said.

"We have our state government coming here and announcing a hodge podge of people will be relocated all over the state. It's an absolute disgrace, using our community as a political football."

Liberal member for Farrer Sussan Ley, who joined federal and NSW water ministers at the announcement of the jobs, hit back at Mr Mack, saying he was taking a "cheap political shot".

"Mr Mack is always complaining that the Liberals and Nationals aren't delivering for Farrer, we have certainly delivered for Farrer and it's apparently still not good enough," Ms Ley said.

Ms Ley said "outcomes" in the basin would be improved by having authority staff in communities.

Mr Bonnetti, a life-long irrigator took the same attitude and said it was a "fabulous" idea.

"The whole town depends on agriculture, an the flow on effects on employment, the schools, shops, real estate values -  everything benefits," Mr Bonnetti said.

"I mean nothing beats face to face contact, being able to communicate their views and our views, having that connection will be great."

Mr Morton said while the true benefits of the move will either be seen or not after the implementation, said it was a positive step in the right direction.

"I think there is value in having people in the ground in the regions that they are here on the ground," Mr Morton said.

"I'll reserve judgement whether it will actually benefit or not, but it's good to see.

"Only time will tell." ​