It may have popped up on your social media this week, a poem that's gone viral after being posted to the Prime Minister's Facebook page detailing the mood of drought impacted farmers.

Joanna Collett who wrote the lyric in about an hour, is based in Wee Waa in North West New South Wales.

Ms Collett and her husband run a two-thousand acre property with about 500 merino ewes and lamb, a handful of cattle, and a thousand acres of cropping.

Rural reporter Eddie Summerfield caught up with Joanna Collett.

G’day Mr Turnbull, I trust that you are fine,
Sorry to be bothering you, but there’s something on my mind
I listened to a bloke last week; he had a bit to say
You lot may have heard of him? He delivers all that hay?

He spoke of countless hours and the distances they drive
Feeding starving stock, to keep bush hopes alive
They do not get assistance from your tax funded hat
They do it on their own, all off their own bat

I’m not politically minded and I don’t have any clout
And I know you’ve done a tour, to learn about the drought
But there’s just some burning questions, that have left us feeling beat
Why did we fund a foreign land, to learn to cut up meat?

And what about those soccer boys, who went and got all lost
You pulled out all the bloody stops, plain just showing off
You’ve bigger problems here at home, there’s drought up to our necks
So what does your mob go and do ? Give them big fat cheques!

Don’t they have a government to deal with all this stuff?
Why should it be up to us, what’s with all your fuss?
Should we not be reigning in and look after our own
Have you never heard the phrase “charity starts at home”?

I realise there’s many things, that need an allocation
And I also can appreciate, complex trade relations
I’m not sure if you realise, but if our stock all die,
There won’t be any trade you see, your deals will all run dry

As a rule we’re not a whinging lot, our requests are but a few
Most of us who work the land, are tested, tried and true
We respect that we are guardians, and sustain it for the kids
But I often have to wonder, what future will it bring?

I guess all that I’m wondering, is “where’s the Aussie aid”?
Wrapped up in a swag of tape, only then to be repaid ! 
There’s Aussie blokes and chicks out there, putting you to shame
Helping fellow Australians, in their time of pain

I’m just a simple farmer, grazier, wife and mum
And even though we’re feeding stock, we’re better off than some
I’ve never had to shoot a cow, who could no longer stand
But many have before me, and I pray, I’m not dealt that hand

So will you take another look; admit that we’re in strife ?
And do more than bloody empathise, before another farmer takes their life ?
I’d like to think you’ll do what’s right and put Australia first
And help your own damn country, before this drought gets any worse

Joanna Collett 
Wee Waa NSW

It may have popped up on your social media this week, a poem that's gone viral after being posted to the Prime Minister's Facebook page detailing the mood of drought impacted farmers.
Joanna Collett who wrote the lyric in about an hour, is based in Wee Waa in North West New South Wales.
Ms Collett and her husband run a two-thousand acre property with about 500 merino ewes and lamb, a handful of cattle, and a thousand acres of cropping.
Rural reporter Eddie Summerfield caught up with Joanna Collett.
G&rsquo;day Mr Turnbull, I trust that you are fine, Sorry to be bothering you, but there&rsquo;s something on my mind I listened to a bloke last week; he had a bit to say You lot may have heard of him? He delivers all that hay?
He spoke of countless hours and the distances they drive Feeding starving stock, to keep bush hopes alive They do not get assistance from your tax funded hat They do it on their own, all off their own bat
I&rsquo;m not politically minded and I don&rsquo;t have any clout And I know you&rsquo;ve done a tour, to learn about the drought But there&rsquo;s just some burning questions, that have left us feeling beat Why did we fund a foreign land, to learn to cut up meat?
And what about those soccer boys, who went and got all lost You pulled out all the bloody stops, plain just showing off You&rsquo;ve bigger problems here at home, there&rsquo;s drought up to our necks So what does your mob go and do ? Give them big fat cheques!
Don&rsquo;t they have a government to deal with all this stuff? Why should it be up to us, what&rsquo;s with all your fuss? Should we not be reigning in and look after our own Have you never heard the phrase &ldquo;charity starts at home&rdquo;?
I realise there&rsquo;s many things, that need an allocation And I also can appreciate, complex trade relations I&rsquo;m not sure if you realise, but if our stock all die, There won&rsquo;t be any trade you see, your deals will all run dry
As a rule we&rsquo;re not a whinging lot, our requests are but a few Most of us who work the land, are tested, tried and true We respect that we are guardians, and sustain it for the kids But I often have to wonder, what future will it bring?
I guess all that I&rsquo;m wondering, is &ldquo;where&rsquo;s the Aussie aid&rdquo;? Wrapped up in a swag of tape, only then to be repaid !&nbsp; There&rsquo;s Aussie blokes and chicks out there, putting you to shame Helping fellow Australians, in their time of pain
I&rsquo;m just a simple farmer, grazier, wife and mum And even though we&rsquo;re feeding stock, we&rsquo;re better off than some I&rsquo;ve never had to shoot a cow, who could no longer stand But many have before me, and I pray, I&rsquo;m not dealt that hand
So will you take another look; admit that we&rsquo;re in strife ? And do more than bloody empathise, before another farmer takes their life ? I&rsquo;d like to think you&rsquo;ll do what&rsquo;s right and put Australia first And help your own damn country, before this drought gets any worse
Joanna Collett&nbsp; Wee Waa NSW

The Rural News

The Rural News is market leader, dealing exclusively with stories of interest to the farming sector and has the support of Australia’s largest media business and international correspondents.

The Rural News is market leader, dealing exclusively with stories of interest to the farming sector and has the support of Australia&rsquo;s largest media business and international correspondents.