"Time is running very short – it is just not good enough that farmers and local communities in 17 regions in Queensland and NSW do not yet know whether their EC assistance will expire on June 15 or be extended," Mr Truss said.

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke was asked in Parliament today about the delay, and the bizarre situation where Centrelink has been ringing farmers and telling them their assistance is about to cease – ahead of an actual Government decision.

"I believe Mr Burke is aware of the economic damage that is being felt in these communities through ongoing drought, and I appreciated his respectful answer to the question from Nationals MP Bruce Scott," Mr Truss said.

"That said, Mr Burke received the assessments some weeks ago from the National Rural Advisory Council about which areas should continue to receive EC assistance. People deserve timely advice so they can plan for the future.

"Even Mr Burke’s own department conceded in Senate Estimates that based on past practice, this was extremely late notice.

"I suspect Mr Burke has actually made his mind up on what regions will remain drought declared and which will not, but he has been unable to get approval from the city-centric Treasurer Wayne Swan, Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

"This is actually an issue that should be above politics. We are talking about the livelihoods of thousands of Australian farmers, who need this assistance to hang on through the worst drought in a century. If we lose them, we lose our ability to produce high quality food and fibre, and the entire nation is the loser."

Mr Truss said many places around Australia have had good rain in recent months but it is patchy across the regions and even within regions.

"For many, the drought is certainly not over," he said.

"Despite repeated soothing comments from the Government about the future of drought assistance under Labor, I am worried the upcoming review will abolish or reduce assistance for farmers when a region becomes drought declared."