Rural communities are facing compounding pressures as intensifying drought conditions place significant strain on flood-recovery efforts and local resilience.
As El Niño drives hotter, drier conditions, farmers are experiencing soil moisture deficits and water scarcity that is threatening livelihoods and long-term sustainability.
National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive Ms Susi Tegen warns of the compounding impacts. “Drought does not arrive alone – it brings health pressure, financial stress, workforce strain and rising risk for already vulnerable communities.”
“For many rural families and businesses, drought is not just about rainfall. It is about the rising cost of fuel, freight, fertiliser and keeping operations going while margins, energy and confidence are already under pressure.”
The 2026 El Niño, beginning in the coming weeks, is likely to be one of the strongest on record, bringing drought, extreme heat and bushfires. Conditions across Australia early this year have been drier than average, creating rainfall deficiencies in north-eastern NSW and bordering areas of Queensland, and in small areas of Tasmania, WA and Victoria.
This is likely to worsen as El Niño influences an extended period of hot, dry weather for the nation, forcing rural communities who are still grappling with the effects of widespread flooding to contend with intensifying drought conditions.
“Rural people cannot be expected to recover from one disaster while the next one is already taking shape”, Ms Tegen says.
Dry conditions are compounding with rising costs, as inflated fuel and fertiliser prices linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East squeeze already stretched rural communities, amplifying financial stress across drought-affected regions.
“Rural communities are being hit from all sides – recovering from flood, facing deepening dry conditions, and carrying the financial and emotional strain that comes when climate pressure keeps shifting but never really lifts.”
“When heat, drought and financial pressure intensify at the same time, the health impacts escalate quickly – especially for older people, outdoor workers, carers, families already under stress and people living with chronic illness.”
Increased bushfire risks and extreme heat will heighten safety concerns for rural populations, particularly in already vulnerable and isolated communities.
Limited access to healthcare services is likely to be further strained as demand rises, reinforcing the need for targeted, place-based health and wellbeing support services.
It is imperative that the Australian Government continues to support our nation’s hardworking farmers as they prepare to face the heat and droughts on the horizon.
Media Release: National Rural Health Alliance
