Kernaghan accuses Rudd of abandoning the bush
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Lee Kernaghan ... 'cut the red tape' (ABC News: Penny McLintock)
Australian of the Year Lee Kernaghan has again accused the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of abandoning the bush.
Kernaghan says some farming families are still suffering because of the prolonged drought.
The country music singer says the Federal Government is re-branding drought as climate change and farmers are not getting the support they need to survive.
"Our Prime Minister said he was going to support working families," he said.
"Well some of the hardest working families that I know are farming families and the level of assistance they get it pitiful.
"I would just appeal to him to show some generosity of spirit, cut the red tape, get rid of all this bureaucracy and just use some common sense to help these farming families to get through."
The President of the farm lobby group Agforce has rejected Kernaghan's criticism.
Peter Kenny, who is also the chairman of a Government review into the social impacts of the drought, says the review should address the farmers' concerns.
"There's no doubt people are distressed and when we hear the stories of what might happen as a result of climate change we'd have to be careful that people don't become completely demoralised," he said.
"Having said that we've got to plan for the future."
A spokeswoman for the Agriculture Minister Tony Burke says the Government's meterological study into drought as already been completed and the productivity commission is reviewing the economic impacts.
Kernaghan has previously been critical of the Rudd Government's drought assistance policy.
He is playing at the Gympie Country Music Muster in south-east Queensland.
