WHEN it comes to water reform in Australia, governments have failed to do what they said they would do, according to National Farmers' Federation president David Crombie.

There have been mixed responses from irrigators and peak farming bodies after the National Water Commission (NWC) released its report card on the progress of reform last Friday.

The report, Australian Water Reform 2009, revealed Australian water reform is in deep trouble, with many reform benchmarks set five years ago nowhere near being met.

Mr Crombie labelled the report a "wake-up call" to governments.

He said state and federal governments have failed to deliver on promises made since the reform came about.

"And it is irrigators and regional communities who are hurting as a result," Mr Crombie said.

"More certainty, more information and more transparency are desperately needed to give irrigators and their communities the confidence to do what they are proven to be good at ... produce food and fibre with ever-scarce water resources.

"These were key take-out messages from NWC's independent assessment of how governments are tracking on their national water-reform commitments."

The report is the first independent assessment of water policy since the Federal Government took over significant responsibility from the states, including Basin planning, water pricing and the management of environmental flows.

It is now five years since the states signed the National Water Initiative and the national water-reform agenda is into its 15th year.

On a positive note, Mr Crombie was pleased at the progress in areas such as the development of a market for water.

"There are opportunities, particularly through the development of the new Basin plan, to resolve so-called over-allocation in order to give irrigators confidence in their future," Mr Crombie said.

The bi-annual assessment of the National Water Initiative made more than 100 findings, and 68 recommendations for further action to refocus

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