Projects such as the Green Hills dam on the Gilbert River near Georgetown, a dam on the Flinders River at Hughenden, and other water storage facilities researched for the Flinders at Richmond and Julia Creek and along the Norman River have proved to be pipe dreams for those western communities.

Richmond Shire Mayor John Wharton told the North Queensland Register that the task force had proven itself to be "full of talk and no action".

He said it had been stacked with greens and conservationists to achieve a pre-determined result.

"Those of us that live here all know we will not be the food bowl of the nation, and we do not want to be either, but we do need some development through irrigation as we do have lots of water and plenty of good cropping soil," Mr Wharton said.

He said he believed that both the Federal and State governments appeared to be under the control to the conservationists who would like the Gulf of Carpentaria listed as World Heritage.

"They also want the Cape world heritage listed. They already have the Barrier Reef and they are on their way to get them through wild rivers legislation, moratoriums on water supplies, the list goes on and on."

The Gulf Savannah Development Corporation, which has done extensive research into the feasibility of the construction of a dam on the Gilbert River, has described the report as "hit and miss".

GSD chair, Councillor Brenda Schneekloth, said the task force's consideration of economic development and diversification opportunities in the north was disappointing.

Etheridge Shire Mayor Warren Devlin said that in terms of water resource development, the task force had focused on what can't be done rather than what can be done.

"We were expecting a report that assessed some concrete proposals for water resource development across the north and laid out future actions to progress," Mr Devlin said.

"I call for government funding for a full feasibility study of the Gilbert River proposal, given the task force's failure to consider specific proposals."

LNP Candidate for Kennedy, Ed Morrison, said red tape was stopping the development of food production industries in northern Australia.

"Having looked at the report released by the Northern Australia Land and Water task force it is impossible to greet its release with anything other than extreme skepticism," Mr Morrison said.

Member for Kennedy Bob Katter described the report as a "stab in the heart" of North Queenslanders.