Help for drought-stricken Australian farmers

Drought-stricken Australian farmers will receive rapid assistance from the federal Government, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson said yesterday.

Farmers are calling on the Government to dramatically overhaul the way drought funding is managed as they face more lengthy spells of dry weather.

Mr Anderson, who will tour affected areas tomorrow with Prime Minister John Howard, said: "I believe we've got to provide very quickly or make the assistance that many are now getting more fairly and freely available."