Ordinary Australians are doing their best to support our farmers by sending hay bales and food parcels, but what they really need is water.

Nationals Senator John ‘Wacka’ Williams tells Ben Fordham what we really need to do is “get serious about building more dams”.

“We need to be storing more water and using it in these dry times.

“We’ve got to get serious and just simply get on with it.”

Senator Williams says the major obstacle facing these water distribution and storage projects is “red and green tape”.

“As soon as you want to go and put a dam somewhere you have all the states maybe objecting.

“Then you go through all the green rigmarole because there might be a specific frog habitat there or whatever.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Rural employers in drought-stricken areas are also facing the reality of having to let employees and apprentices go, as payroll tax is yet another nail in the coffin for the struggling businesses.

Senator Williams says a wind back of the payroll tax is desperately needed to stop farmers from going under.

“I know businesses I speak to now Ben, are making big losses with this drought and still are going to be hit for millions of dollars of payroll tax,” Wacka tells Ben.