I have a long history interacting with farmers in my previous roles. I have never observed the level of extreme concern and anxiety farming families are feeling during this event, particularly when they had made plans based on known previous droughts.

The National Drought Agreement is very clear with its intent in "recognising governments need to support farm business and farm communities to manage and prepare for climate change and variability". It goes on to say "the new agreement focuses measures across all jurisdictions on bolstering risk management practice and enhancing long-term preparedness and resilience".

Mr Morrison should be under no illusion a situation has been reached in those "beyond records" farms that have no precedent. Farmers now going into their third year of drought in safe rainfall areas and four and five years in western areas.

The NSW government has stepped up to the plate with a number of assistance measures. But the federal government is missing in action, relying instead on Farm Management Deposits, the Farm Household Allowance and Regional Investment Corporation loans - all of which very few farmers can access. Those who have off-farm income are battling, but those without are in desperate straights.

The Morrison government demonstrated they can act in critical times, as they did during the Queensland floods, but now we have a disaster beyond any records in some parts of northern NSW and southern Queensland of equal devastation, that requires urgent action by the prime minister. If action is not forthcoming, some rural communities and farm business may not recover.