Labor vows different drought funding

Federal Labor says it would avoid dipping into a national infrastructure fund to pay for drought projects if it forms government at the next election.

Drought-proofing projects aimed at protecting farming communities during dry times should not be paid for through the Australian government's infrastructure fund, federal Labor says.

Labor's caucus on Monday evening resolved to vote against the federal government's plan to take $3.9 billion from the Build Australia Fund to help farmers build defences against drought.

The party says it would spend the same amount on drought resilience efforts should it win the next election, but would find fresh money in the budget through its economic reforms.