It was the question that drew cheers from the audience.

Before a crowd at the Sydney Showground for Monday's special Q&A panel on regional Australia, NSW farmer Sarah Ciesiolka asked the panelists what it would take for politicians to prioritise farmers over coal seam gas mining.

"What will it take for the major parties to prioritise the nation's food security and water resources for current and future generations of Australians because CSG is risking things that are priceless," she said.

Less than a week out from the New South Wales election, host Tony Jones asked the audience to raise their hands if the issue was a vote changer for them.

More than half did.

"You must be getting a strong political message," Jones said to panelist Nationals Senator Fiona Nash.

But for Senator Nash, and Labor's agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon, the issue returned to a familiar word: "balance".

"I say I understand exactly what you're saying," Senator Nash said.

"This is not a shock to me, this is not some new revelation to me tonight that this is a concern to people."

"What we have to make sure is we get the balance right."

Senator Nash argued it was not the case that governments should have to choose between mining or farming - "It's not as simple just to say an either or," she said.

But both politicians were at odds with their fellow panelists, who said governments were getting the balance wrong.

"It dead set shouldn't be allowed," fourth-generation cattle producer Rob Cook said.

"With underground water and you're going to start poking and prodding and carrying on ... it's going to have an effect on your water table underground.

Robyn Clubb, Treasurer of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, said her farmland was threatened by plans for a mine six kilometres from her property.

"I have 25,000 fruit trees and I am only six kilometres away from this mine," she said.

"If there is a spill if this project goes ahead ...

"I just find it staggering that there is just not common sense applied to this and there is not somebody saying this is not acceptable, this should not go ahead."

Country singer Troy Cassar-Daley voiced his support for Golden Guitar winner Luke O'Shea and Luke's 71-year-old father Rick, who were charged in January after protesting at Whitehaven Coal's Maules Creek coal mine.

"I looked at Luke in the paper that day after the awards and I thought it's great he's made a stand for something he believes in," he said.

"If someone came to Halfway Creek and Grafton and said they were going to change things or come for it I'd chain myself to the bloody gate don't you worry."

The panel was also asked whether the Prime Minister's use of the phrase "lifestyle choices" in reference to remote aboriginal communities should be viewed more broadly. "Lifestyle choices. Wow, what a comment" Cassar-Daley said. 'It took race relations back 100 years for me.

"[Being] spiritually connected to land that you want to live on is not a lifestyle choice."

Tony Jones said that the question from the audience appeared to show the lifestyle choices phrase was "resonating out there with some sections of the community" and asked the panel whether it was something the PM picked up from a focus group.

"I would be worried if it was from a focus group because people haven't been out into the regions to see how these people live, they haven't seen how happy the kids are," Cassar-Daley said. "They haven't seen the power of the elders being able to sit down in their own environment to impart stuff to these kids. That can't happen on city streets."

Nash said it was "highly unlikely" Mr Abbott took the phrase from a focus group.

Mr Fitzgibbon agreed.

"Surely the Prime Minister's comment could not have come from a focus group," he said. "That would make it premeditated. Surely someone would have advised the guy not to use it. It just seems inconceivable.

"I just wouldn't go there at all."

- With Bellinda Kontominas