“It will take some time now to get a clear picture of what’s happened after the locusts have taken flight,” Border Rivers Food and Fibre Executive Officer, Tim Napier said.

He was referring to the political and media storm which has erupted after a Four Corners' report on Monday.

A senior water official and NSW’s state's former water minister, Kevin Humphries, will be referred to the state corruption watchdog over their relationship to irrigators and lobbyists following the ABC story.

Four Corners aired leaked recordings, apparently, offering to share confidential information with irrigation lobbyists.

An therein lies the problem according to  Mr Napier.

“It’s all innuendo and allegations and (from some areas) misinformation.

“Nothing can really be done until those allegations are investigated.”

However he is sure of one thing, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan should remain intact.

“Otherwise we are just snatching defeat from the jaws of a sensible solution,” Mr Napier said.

His view backs that of the Murray-Darling Basin Authorities, Phillip Glyde who has been a regular visitor to Goondiwindi and the border region over the past two years.

“We must keep going with the Basin Plan. Without the Basin Plan, we will never have a healthy and productive river system supporting healthy and productive communities and industries,” he said.

“Five years into the 12 year implementation of the Basin Plan, we are already seeing improvements to the health of the Basin. Together, we are safeguarding one of Australia’s greatest national assets. We must keep going.”

He added later, “when someone breaks the speed limit it doesn’t necessarily mean the road rules are completely wrong. It just means the incentives are there and the penalties are there to make sure it doesn’t happen very often.”

He said that in reaction to the Four Corners’ report.

On the same day The Australian Conservation Foundation released this:

“Last night, ABC’s Four Corners revealed what looks like the biggest and most outrageous river water theft in Australia’s history.

“The evidence ACF, the Environment Defenders Office and Four Corners have unearthed over the past year is alarming. Illegal pumps so powerful, they make the river flow upstream. Massive hidden dams. Top government officials apparently shutting down active investigations, leaking confidential documents and helping irrigators find loopholes to abuse the rules. And more,” Campaign Director Paul Sinclair said.

Mr Napier said that the “sad” upshot from the report  and those type of comments was the “demonising” of irrigators.

“Look we don’t yet what’s actually happened there’s claim on one side, denials on the other...But what the program has done is undermine the good work that has already been done in good faith by farmers, scientists, communities, politicians throughout the basin...

“If someone’s been pinching water, it’s theft and they need to be dealt with. However from the discussions I’ve had (with growers) that’s tempered with a concern the issue is being pushed by those with an agenda,” he said.

He pointed to a number of environmental groups and opposition from within South Australia  and Victoria.

Australian Greens SA Senator and the party’s Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young  said on Tuesday, “This plan has always been about lining the pockets of big irrigators”.

“It’s been haemorrhaging money while the sustainability and the health of the river has fallen by the wayside,” she said.

Mr Napier said the structures were all ready in place to investigate all the issues raised by the Four Corners’ report.

“We just have to let that process take its course and until that happens it would probably be best if everyone could take a deep breath and not add to the hysteria.”