Action now was the message from the Charters Towers rural crisis summit on Monday.
In excess of 200 primary producers and industry stakeholders attended the event organised by Katter's Australian Party (KAP) state MPs Shane Knuth and Rob Katter, calling for government to do more to assist people in need, especially through increased water infrastructure and debt reconstruction measures.
Emotions ran high on several occasions and Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne bore the brunt of outbursts from members of the audience.
Although saying he realised water security was of paramount importance to a successful grazing operation, he told the gathering his government would not be building any dams because there was little economic return to the government.
His comment that government resources were finite prompted a retort to "borrow the bloody money like we have to". Mr Byrne also signalled little movement towards the KAP-sponsored development and reconstruction authority despite ongoing talks between the state government and KAP.
"At the moment it is not the practice of the Queensland government to intervene in commercial arrangements between banks and farmers," he said.
Mr Knuth said he hadn't seen a tangible development effort in the past 25 years. "Rural and regional Queensland has been done over for years, and from the minister's comments it sounds like they will continue to be done over," he said.
Kennedy federal MP Bob Katter was also in attendance, saying all the dams, rail lines and major road infrastructure built in Australia had been financed by borrowing and that money was repaid from the revenue earned from the improved infrastructure.
"The minister's saying it can't be done; well, it was done for the entire state up until 25 years ago.
"And for the reconstruction board we're not asking for a cent.
"We're not asking for a dollar of government revenue.
"All we're saying is would you please allow a body to loan it out."
Mr Knuth said he and Rob Katter would speak directly with the Premier after Monday's meeting.
Mr Katter said he and Mr Knuth wouldn't be satisfied until an outcome was delivered by the minority government.
A host of other rural advocates - including Winton grazier Charlie Phillott, Aussie Helpers co-founder Brian Egan, Cate Stuart (formerly of Mt Morris station at Charleville) and QUT economists Mark McGovern and Ben Rees - also addressed the conference.
Mr Rees told attendees to beware of the free trade agreement (FTA) signing with China, saying there had not been any benefit to agriculture from any FTA signed by Australia since 1993.
He said there had been long-term agriculture policy failure, which had been a major factor in the huge problem of debt-to-equity ratios in many agricultural businesses.
Generally speaking, the summit gave all who attended the opportunity to voice their frustration with banks and governments.
As was done at the conclusion of the Winton debt summit in December last year, resolutions passed by the committee were:
1. The meeting supports the Charters Towers rural crisis committee in its efforts to advance these issues and other relevant issues subsequently raised with appropriate industry and government representatives and agencies;
2. That government commit to the provision of a stabilisation, reconstruction and development finance board to fund the reconstruction and development of Queensland agriculture and associated rural industries.
3. That state and federal governments commit to assistance schemes to agriculturally dependant businesses, providing:
a. Drought recovery assistance
b. First start loans
c. Exceptional circumstance provisions
d. Low interest loans.
4. The state government to provide affordable risk mitigation Insurance to give effective cover against natural disasters.
5. Current interest rates are excessive and incompatible with sustainable production, industry profitability and international competitiveness. The federal government to work towards reducing interest rates;
6. That governments and banks immediately enact a moratorium on forced farm sales until effective action is taken by the sate government on resolutions above.
7. That the federal and state governments increase the number for rural financial counselling and other support services in the state of Queensland and disperse them appropriately around the state.
8. The current drought assistance package is a failure and this approach is rejected outright by the meeting.
9. That drought policy be re-classified as a natural disaster program consistent with a WTO program.
10. This meeting calls on the Council of Australian Governments to convene an inclusive working group (within an month) to develop a new approach to drought and other periods of natural disaster consistent with the WTO agreement on agriculture framework.