Communities reeling from Australia's worst drought in more than 50 years will be given extra funding to help deal with the dry conditions in their own way.
Sixty drought-affected councils across western Queensland, NSW and Victoria will be handed $1 million each to spend on anything from trucking in drinking water to building new community facilities.
The latest grants bring to $1.8 billion the total drought relief offered up by the federal government.
Drought has hit farms across the country. Source: AAP
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the government was responding to feedback it had received from many farmers in recent weeks.
Giving money to councils - 36 in NSW, 22 in Queensland and two in Victoria - is aimed at keeping jobs in towns.
"That's going to be putting money into these communities - critically important at this time," he told reporters at Forbes in central western NSW on Sunday.
Changes will allow the cost of fodder storage facilities to be deducted immediately, rather than depreciated over three years.
The government will also double the amount farmers can borrow in low-interest loans to $2 million, which can be spent on fodder and water.
The total amount available for loans in any one year will also be doubled from $250 million to $500 million.
New bores across the Great Artesian Basin and more money for long-term forecasting are among other elements of the latest initiatives.
Retired Major General Stephen Day has been appointed national drought co-ordinator.
Mr Turnbull said he would bring together those working to help farmers, including not-for-profit organisations and farming groups.
The National Farmers Federation said it looked forward to working with the former military officer and embraced the support for regional communities who do it tough when farmers fall on hard times.
The group has urged farmers to take advantage of any available assistance while they await relief from Mother Nature.
"At the end of the day, the only silver bullet is rain," President Fiona Simson said in a statement.
The latest announcement comes two weeks after Mr Turnbull announced the federal government's $190 million relief package, which included extra payments as part of the Farm Household Allowance.
Readers seeking mental health support can contact:
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Farmer Assitance Hotline 132 316
How can I help?
Farmers seeking drought assistance can contact these organisations:
- Australian Red Cross
- Aussie Helpers
- Drought Angels
- Lions Need for Feed
- Rural Aid / Buy a Bale
- Salvation Army
