THE Murray Darling Basin Authority will delay the release of its controversial draft plan to cut irrigators' diversions until a new government is formed.
The authority is due to meet on Monday to determine a release date, but a spokesman has reiterated the draft plan will not be released while the government is in caretaker mode.
NSW and Queensland irrigators have repeatedly called on the "independent" authority to release the plan, to ensure the basin communities are given time to debate and analyse what is likely to be a vast and complex document of more than 3000 pages.
The plan is set to recommend cuts to irrigation communities' diversions ranging from 10 to 30 per cent depending on the catchment.
During the federal election campaign, caretaker Prime Minister Julia Gillard promised a Labor Government would buy, not cut, irrigators' entitlement to reduce diversions and boost environmental flows.
The Coalition has also agreed to buy water, but said it would review and may even reject the draft basin plan.
