The state’s Water Minister has been forced to delete his social media accounts, after receiving what he describes as “vile” threats.

Niall Blair made a trip to Menindee after hundreds of thousands of fish were found dead in the Murray-Darling basin.

Scientists believe high temperatures along with low or no water flows caused the deadly blue-green algae blooms.

Mr Blair tells Ben Fordham he made the decision to delete his social media accounts after “a number of threats were made”.

“It’s the one thing I can control.

“My son didn’t signup for this job, I signed up for this, but I don’t want him to see that sort of rubbish and I also don’t want him to become a target of that rubbish.

“If people want to have access to me, we’ll just do it through other ways.”

The minister denies it’s a move to deflect negative criticism and says the government is doing everything it can to address fish deaths.

“We’ve also installed six aerators in different parts of the state. We’ve got more on order.”

Mr Blair is now being criticised for not attending a meeting in Sydney with local mayors from the region but he claims his office helped facilitate the discussion.

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