Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope and NSW Small Business Commissioner Robyn Hobbs have been in the region the last few days to chat to local business owners and farmers about the impact of the drought.

Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce and locals raised a number of issues at the event, which was held in the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery.

The chamber's Treena Daniells said that people seeking help for mental health issues had hit a roadblock when they found out their business insurance would be affected.

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Mrs Hobbs said there was "no resolution" for the issue yet but there was now "money in the budget for mental health" after she personally requested it from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Dolbel Consulting's Stuart Dolbel questioned how the state government was "drought-proofing regional communities" and what would happen if there was another drought in the near future.

"Governments can't do everything and we can't make it rain," Mr Tudehope answered.

"The work is being done and the money is being released.

"The infrastructure and the injection of funds into towns like this is an important component of the manner in which government can deliver relief."

Tax was another topic on the minds of Gunnedah's business owners.

Gunnedah shire councillor and business owner Ann Luke asked if payroll tax would be deferred to relieve pressure and Mrs Hobbs said there was an ongoing conversation about the "contentious tax".

"There have been at times consideration for a regional ... taxation program; to be honest it hasn't got off the starting blocks but I think the important point about that ... is it's a conversational progress," the commissioner said.

The tax has been an issue with the chamber for the past six months.

When Cr Luke asked how the government would help to streamline the grant application process for councils, Mrs Hobbs suggested that joint organisations "engage expert people" to help put the applications together.

"We need to look at that quite seriously because I think you can put in really good grant applications and make them sing, rather than just ticking the boxes," Mrs Hobbs said.

"We also need to make sure that councils who are applying for the grant have the full capacity to implement the program, whatever it is, rather than simply getting more money in."

Mr Tudehope said it was important for politicians to "get out of Sydney to hear your problems", so they could get a better picture of how the drought was affecting rural and regional Australians.

"We'll be here for you as long as it takes to get through the [drought]," Mrs Hobbs said.

"We'll also be there on the other side to continue the growth of your business."

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