The latest funding gives farmers more access to drought funding by easing the income/ assets test, and boosting support for rural-dependent small businesses. The relief package shows the extent to which rural families are hurting; some will be forced to leave the land but they can now do so with some dignity.

Taxpayers should be saying to the Government, "we want this money allocated in the context of a framework about how we are going to address the long-term future of agriculture" and climate change.