The Federal Government placed billions more of taxpayer dollars on the table to rescue agriculture from the long dry.

Many pastoralists argue that the Barkly should also qualify for aid.

More than half a million cattle had been forced out of the Barkly because of successive failed wet seasons and a chronic shortage of feed.

The Federal Parliament heard recently the NT Government had not made an application for drought aid.

Speaking to a parliamentary inquiry last month, Senator Sam McMahon questioned what steps the NT Government had taken to ask the Federal Government for help, as others regions were doing.

Senator McMahon said 500,000 head of cattle have been destocked from the NT and many of those left are needing feed to be trucked in to stay alive.

"It would seem that the NT Government just doesn't care what the costs are to producers, communities and the NT economy," she said.

"The other states are upholding their responsibility in drought assistance by providing financial help to producers for freight and fodder costs but the Gunner Government has done no such thing for the NT.

"I have heard of one producer spending $20 million on freight costs directly due to the drought. If that is the cost to just one producer, imagine the cost across the entire NT!

"Our cattle producers are not looking for charity or handouts, just a fair share of assistance from our Territory Government."

Hrer calls were echoed today by the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association which now believes an NT drought working group should be established as a matter of priority.

NTCA chief executive officer Ashley Manicaros said the matter had been raised with the Minister for Primary Industry and Resources Paul Kirby and given the current funding programs being made available by the Federal Government its establishment would be timely.

"To date there has been little drought relief for Northern Territory producers and having a working group will help refine priorities," Mr Manicaros said.

Mr Manicaros said the group should include key government agencies like the Department of Primary Industry and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"We are currently working with the Government on a pastoral rent waiver process for those areas which have been affected by below average rainfall over the last few seasons," he said.

"At a national level the NTCA has been presenting our priorities as a singular voice. We have kept the NT Government abreast of what we have been seeking.

"Given the breadth of the packages being made available it would make sense to ensure the full weight of a government is behind an industry and the regional communities which rely on its existence when it comes to minimizing what are already substantial impacts."

Primary Industries and Resources Minister Paul Kirby said the Northern Territory Government is taking drought conditions "extremely seriously" and have processes in place for struggling pastoralists.

"As Minister for Primary Industry and Resources I look forward to continuing to work with the NT Cattleman's Association's on an NT drought working group," he said.

"I've met with Ashley in the past week to continue discussions on the Cattleman's priorities and how we can best work together to assist Territory farmers in what is a difficult time for some now and into the future.

"The Territory Labor Government take drought conditions extremely seriously and have a process in place of pastoral rent relief for pastoralists in need of assistance."

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