A decade on, Loretta wants us to remember drought's lessons

Loretta Johnson, 29 at the time, was the officer-in-charge at the Longreach Ambulance Station in 2014 when she could see the crisis unfolding before her eyes.

"There was just no coordination of services - people were throwing things at communities but they couldn't work out how to access it," she said. "They were searching for assistance and turned to who they trusted most, an ambo with a rural background who was able to find a way through."

Together with Jane Williams at the Central West Hospital and Health Service, and Gregory MP Vaughan Johnson, they pulled together the Western Queensland Mental Health Wellness committee, and coordinated the response in a way that worked on the ground.

That meant visiting properties running events in towns rather than expecting people to come to them for help.

"A lot didn't know how to use the internet, and they were just tired and overwhelmed," Ms Johnson said, adding that decisions should be made at a local level to get the best outcomes.

"It was about trust and local coordination," she said.

The Wellness committee included police, the Department of Agriculture, Anglicare, the Salvation Army, Drought Angels and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, as well as the QAS and CWHHS.

"We were on the frontline," Ms Johnson said. "We engaged the state government at the time and they were very supportive with funding for mental health initiatives."

Results were nearly immediate.

"We could see people applying for and getting things they needed, the glimmer of hope came back, that things would get better," Ms Johnson said. "We must never forget how tough the people were, to fight through that."

Ms Johnson recalled winning a Queensland Rural Women's Network leadership award in 2019 and trying to describe the scene she dealt with years earlier.

"It was so hard to paint a picture of their courage and what they had to face - nothing in their paddocks, paperwork for vouchers to get food - we just took that burden away," she said.

The Queensland government last week declared the state drought-free for the first time in 11 years, repealing the drought status of Bulloo and Diamantina shires.

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said he and DAF staff had met with key mental health service providers, charities, government and the Queensland Mental Health Commissioner this week, to discuss ongoing mental health needs across rural and regional Queensland specific to agriculture.

"It was highlighted during this meeting that the need for these services is not just related to drought and/or natural disasters," he said. "The new Queensland Drought Assistance Program, which includes drought preparedness grants and drought-ready and recovery loans, do not rely on a drought declaration."

Mr Furner added that the government was also delivering the Farm Business Resilience Program, which provides the Farm Management Grant and free information and training sessions to improve drought preparedness, including help with a farm business resilience plan.

"The Farm Business Resilience Planning Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and Queensland Government Drought and Climate Adaptation Program," he said.

Ms Johnson said she just didn't want people to ever forget what actually happened in western Queensland when drought was at its height, and what didn't.

"I think we need to ensure that we keep our finger on the pulse with that, and ensure nobody forgets what happened," she said.

"While it's a good season now and we've had wonderful seasons and wonderful cattle prices, we tend to forget it could happen again.

"We have to ensure that at a state level we do keep our eyes on what policy and direction there is around drought funding and services for people that need support."