THE Murray-Darling Basin Plan has been described as a "next to impossible" goal by the federal Environment and Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, in a national address.

Ms Plibersek, who on Tuesday released the 2021 State of the Environment report, said she was "gobsmacked" when she realised "how badly" the country was going at meeting all targets set out in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

"I have ...