My heart breaks for the communities currently devastated by floods across NSW. But it aches even more for the small-business owners and farmers trying to stay afloat - again.

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In disaster after disaster, they are among the first to be affected and the last to recover.

While saving lives is always the top priority, we need to talk seriously about livelihoods.

A lost business or farm isn't just an economic loss, it's a personal tragedy, a collapse of purpose and, in some cases, a precursor to additional loss of life.

Without livelihoods, communities struggle to recover.

The 2011 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience introduced the concept of "shared responsibility" in Australia's approach to emergencies. But what does that mean in practice when it comes to small businesses and farms? And have we progressed any further since 2011?

Let's be honest: the primary responsibility for continuity lies with the business or farm owner.

But the reality is, most small-business owners aren't risk analysts or continuity planners.

A pub owner in a regional town is likely managing shifts and stock, not developing a flood risk management plan.

MORE OPINION:

A farmer running a multi-generational cattle property may be juggling drought, debt, and livestock, not drafting an evacuation or recovery blueprint.

A hairdresser in a small coastal town is thinking about customers and payroll, not business impact........

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