Barnaby's billion dollar drought relief call, with $10m to each council

A 10-point policy plan development by the Nationals would see councils in drought zones given $10 million each in joint funding from the state and federal governments.

The funds would be dispersed by a local committee, consisting of the representatives from councils, businesses, charities, local community leaders and MPs.

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Mr Joyce said the funding could help with a "myriad of issues", from projects to stimulate the local economy to helping farmers with fodder.

"In the western districts where there are no high schools, making sure those kids don't come back from boarding school, because if they come back from boarding school, that's the end of their education," the New England MP said.

"We would make sure that if further funds are required down the track, we would deal with this."

Mr Joyce said the it was important for people to understand the Nationals were not sitting back and waiting for something to happen.

"I know how politics works; I've been in it for long enough," Mr Joyce said.

"If this drought keeps going, you've got to go ahead with extra funding, otherwise you just won't be the government.

"The drought is going on, and we have to now reach ahead of it. We have to reach ahead of it or be dragged later on down the track."

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The drought-relief package is expected to be revealed next week.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said there had to be one coordinated response to drought - a drought "war cabinet".

"At the moment, what you've got is the National Farmers' Federation that have a plan, the National Party have a plan, Scott Morrison had a leak last night to one of the TV networks about a plan coming out next week," he said.

"For goodness sake, why can't we all sit down and put the national interest first and come up with a coordinated, comprehensive, bipartisan national drought strategy?"