Joint Agency Drought Taskforce

Assistance for farmers, their families and rural communities

Farmers, their families and their communities can access a range of government services and support to help them manage during times of drought and prepare for future conditions.

People are encouraged not to self-assess their individual situation, but to seek advice from an expert.

Visit http://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought to access assistance.

The Prime Minister has stated the drought is one of his top and immediate priorities for the Government. On 19 August 2018, the Government announced the appointment of a Coordinator-General for Drought, Major General Stephen Day, DSC, AM. To support this work the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has established a Joint Agency Drought Taskforce in the Prime Minister’s department led by Major General Stephen Day.

The Prime Minister has also appointed a Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP to listen to affected communities so he can feed back a deeper picture of the human and economic impact of the drought, including positive examples of resilience. The Special Envoy for Drought will provide advice to the Prime Minister about the impact of relief efforts, including the performance of Government service delivery and advise about proposals that might be emerging from the community.

Read the Terms of Reference for the Coordinator-General for Drought.

Key Dates & Progress

Coordinator-General’s travel and meetings

7 December, 2018 – Dubbo, New South Wales – Participated in a consultation session with key expert, industry and government stakeholders to inform a Commonwealth Strategy for Drought Preparedness and Resilience.
6 December, 2018 – Met with the Murray Darling Basin Authority and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office to discuss the Murray Darling Basin.
4 December, 2018 – Perth, Western Australia – Participated in a consultation session with key expert, industry and government stakeholders to inform a Commonwealth Strategy for Drought Preparedness and Resilience.
30 November, 2018 – Brisbane, Queensland – Participated in a consultation session with key expert, industry and government stakeholders to inform a Commonwealth Strategy for Drought Preparedness and Resilience.
29 November, 2018 – Melbourne, Victoria – Participated in a consultation session with key expert, industry and government stakeholders to inform a Commonwealth Strategy for Drought Preparedness and Resilience.
26 November, 2018 – Roma, Queensland – Presented at the South West Mental Health roundtable and met with mental health providers, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Western Queensland Primary Health Network and the South West Hospital and Health Service to discuss mental health services and coordination of support.
22 November, 2018 – Brisbane, Queensland – Meeting with Queensland Water to discuss water supply in the State and the impact of current drought conditions.

See earlier travel and meetings