More than $6 billion in dam funding scrapped or deferred by Labor

The government revealed it would not support the $5.4b Hell's Gate and $483m Urannah dams in Queensland, while deferring another $900 million to be reconsidered once the project business cases are completed.

Dungowan Dam ($433m), Emu Swamp Dam ($126.5m), Hughenden Irrigation Scheme and the Wyangala Dam wall extension were all among the projects to have their funding paused.

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The budget did confirm $1.1b for water infrastructure, including the $600m Paradise Dam and $8m Big Rocks Weir in Queensland, $300m for Darwin's water security, the Cairns Water Security Project ($107.5m), the Tasmanian Pipeline ($100m), and $32m to consult and plan central Queensland water options ($32m).

Despite the cuts, federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek said the government had a "strong, secure and national water plan", and was putting $2.6m towards establishing a National Water Commission to direct the nation's water infrastructure.

Significant funding was put towards the Murray-Darling Basin Plan - which Labor promised to deliver on time and in full - including an unspecified amount of money to recover the 450 gigalitres of environmental required under the plan.

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The funding was not published due to "commercial sensitivities", but it's understood the money could be used for either infrastructure projects or voluntary water buybacks.

A further $29m will go towards metering, monitoring and increased compliance within the basin and $22.9m will be used to update the science behind the basin's water management.

"[Our national water plan is] for towns and communities, for industry, and for the environment, - all three go hand in hand," Ms Plibersek said.

"After nearly a decade of broken promises and dodgy behaviour under the Liberals and Nationals, we will restore trust and integrity to water policy."