Our state's decision-makers are being urged to think about drought before the next one sets in.

With a record dry August behind us, September following in the same vein and the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting "unusually high maximum temperatures" over the coming months those whose incomes are immediately affected are already making adjustments for the impacts of a long hot dry summer.

In NSW Parliament recently, Member for Barwon Roy Butler, gave a Private Member's Statement on drought and the need for government to act now.

"We know another drought will inevitably come, but the past record on drought response has not been good," Mr Butler told his fellow parliamentarians.

"Drought policy today is scarily like drought policy 122 years ago," he said, referring to the infamous Federation Drought.

He outlined some of the impacts felt by communities in his electorate during the most recent drought.

"There was uncertainty for farmers and businesses, both were caught between state and federal politics, each unable to clearly articulate which jurisdiction assistance fell under, what help was available and when it would come. All the while feed prices skyrocketed and stock prices plummeted.

"Whilst agriculture reliant communities were waiting on government they lost businesses and population. Generations of stock bloodlines bred specifically for those climates were sent to slaughter.

"How prepared are we for the next drought that history tells us is coming?"

IMAGE: NSW Government 'Drought in NSW'

Mr Butler told the parliament that in the latest drought "charities and farmers themselves seem to have been doing the heavy lifting, and governments again relied on the resilience of people on the land." 

"This policy was formed by a 1989 Drought Policy Review Task Force report which was critical of drought being classified as a natural disaster and refocused policy on self-reliance and risk management, not government assistance," Mr Butler said.

"What the taskforce did not consider was the changing climate and the duration droughts we are experiencing now and will experience into the future."

He recommended a new approach by government.

"The good news is we can change things," he said.

"Adopting UN definitions of drought can provide us with clear direction, metrics and data and clear thresholds for assistance."

Different droughts - different measures

According to the United Nations the impacts of drought can be as varied as the causes of drought and will change depending on the socio-economic context and who is exposed to the risks of drought.

They have defined several different types of drought that have can general or specific sector impacts and this is used to help plan for and respond more effectively to drought.

• Meteorological drought: Occurs when dry weather patterns dominate an area. It is defined usually on the basis of the degree of dryness and the duration of the dry period.
• Hydrological drought: Occurs when low water supply becomes evident and is associated with the effects of periods of precipitation shortfalls on surface or subsurface water supply.
• Agricultural drought: Occurs when agricultural production becomes affected. It focuses on precipitation shortages, differences between actual evapotranspiration, soil water deficits, reduced groundwater and so on.
• Socioeconomic drought: Relates the supply and demand of some economic goods with elements of meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural drought. It also occurs when the demand for an economic good exceeds supply as a result of a weather-related shortfall in water supply.

Mr Butler told the parliament that the state approach to drought needs an urgent re-think.

"Every review for a decade says direct financial assistance ends up capitalising into higher land costs and increased transport costs," Mr Butler said.

"The focus needs to be on resilience in the areas of water supply, grain storage and diverting income into financial reserves that can be drawn upon in drought.

"These initiatives need more investigation and support. Why are we waiting for the next drought to act?"

Mr Butler's speech in Parliament was a call to action "before the worst of the next drought is upon us" - unfortunately there were less than ten politicians in the Chamber to hear it.

Watch Mr Butler's address here.