Prime Minister Scott Morrison is calling a national drought summit in Canberra next month.
“Helping our farmers and farming communities is my number one priority,” Mr Morrison said after receiving an update on drought-related activities.
“Today I am announcing the next steps of my Government’s drought response – a National Drought Summit on October 26,” he said.
“The Co-ordinator-General for Drought, Major General Stephen Day, and the Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery, Barnaby Joyce have been listening to farmers across the nation.
“They want co-ordinated action to support drought-affected families and their communities, and hosting a summit will unite our national efforts.”
Mr Morrison said the summit would put national leaders, key people and organisations together at the same table.
“We will look at actions to deliver assistance, cut red tape and tackle gaps that need addressing,” he said.
“We’re ensuring families and communities in drought-affected areas are getting what they need.
“We need to act and respond to the immediate issues while we are putting in place better frameworks for long-term preparedness and resilience.”
He said the priority was not just immediate relief, but ensuring communities could rebuild after the big dry.
Federal government funding given to local councils in drought-hit states for projects to keep towns viable was having a positive impact.