There was no costing in the budget papers of the $5.8bn component of the government's big Water for the Future plan. There has been much anticipation from farmers, of how the budget would help clarify the amount that would go to on-farm works and whether savings would be shared equally between the environment and irrigators.

No mention in the budget means upgrades to on-farm irrigation systems will probably not happen this financial year.

The budget papers reiterated an earlier commitment by Senator Wong to bring forward $400 million worth of funding to "accelerate investment in water savings infrastructure" and to buy water from willing sellers.

The papers say water efficiency projects from jurisdictions within the basin, including private irrigation companies, will also be considered "in due course" under the $5.8bn-10 year Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program.

But, it is said, before the government invests in those projects they would need to demonstrate an ability to "deliver value for money" and achieve "substantial and lasting returns" of water to secure improvements in the health of the river.

The National Farmers Federation last week called for the Government to release a breakdown of funding details within the water infrastructure program and spell-out whether on-farm works would still be considered for funding.

This week President, David Crombie, acknowledged that detail was missing and said NFF would be seeking "clarification" from Senator Wong's office on the program and its priorities.

Mr Cobb said more detail and costing of the $5.8b program should have been in this year's budget.

He said the government must commit to sharing savings from improvements to on-farm infrastructure 50-50 if it wants to get people involved.

"Senator Wong has some serious explaining to do," Mr Cobb said.

"When is she going to invest money in irrigation infrastructure?"

"When is she going to create more water savings on the transfer of water, and water systems?

"If she's going to pull the plug on investments in on-farm savings, when is she going to say so?

"Penny Wong has to stop saying it will all become apparent and start answering questions on when she is going to start funding on-farm irrigation efficiency."

Mr Cobb said buying water back from irrigators was "taking the easy way out" to impress Sydney and Melbourne.

He said the budget papers show that in 2009/2010 the Government plans to purchase $482m worth of irrigation licences – "a heck of a lot of water to buy in one year", he added.

"In any one year there's never been more than 100 gigalitres of water sold.

History says it would take 20-30 years to buy $3.1 billion worth of water (as the Government intends) at $2000 (a megalitre).

"The only way Senator Wong can come close to spending this sort of money is if there's no-one else in the market, and (this would) mean she's going to have to pay prices which totally exclude anyone else."