The Perrottet government has been warned by its own advisers that proposed flood plain harvesting rules will not adequately protect the environment or the needs of downstream communities in the Murray Darling Basin.

Documents obtained through parliament by independent MLC Justin Field show the government received advice that proposed targets meant to ensure river health were too low.

Officials from the department’s environment and heritage divisions also raised concern the targets were inconsistent with the objectives of the state’s water laws, which require critical human and environmental needs to be prioritised.