MORE State government support has been rolled out for drought-stricken NSW farmers, with an increase of $7 million to an existing emergency assistance package, but producers and stakeholders are calling for the federal government to stump up sooner rather than later.
The $7.6 million package for the Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett local government areas (LGAs) set up last November has been increased to $14.6 million, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson announced today.
The measures include the expansion of a temporary package of emergency in-drought support measures to an additional 20 LGAs and the far west Unincorporated Area in NSW.
Mr Stoner said the temporary measures are only funded through to June 30, and called on the federal government to urgently release details of its proposed assistance package.
“While the NSW government has expanded its assistance measures, there is a clear need for the Commonwealth to now put forward a comprehensive package to assist primary producers to respond to this drought,” Mr Stoner said.
“Despite our landholders being drought-prepared and on the front foot when it comes to maximising their properties’ water storage, this extreme weather has delivered a real blow to their way of life."
NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson said it was "about time" the government made an announcement.
“People in the far western areas of the State have been waiting over nine weeks since the Rural Assistance Advisory Council visits,” she said.
Ms Simson said the assistance measures will be stretched to cover the area designated for assistance measures.
“I think with the ($7 million) funding to be spread across 20 local government areas, each area's share will be very small. We are yet to see the data behind this but it is difficult to understand how they determined the costings for another 20 LGAs."
Ms Simson said the State and federal governments “need to be clear” about how they will work together on future assistance measures.
Carey Logan, who works on "The Brigalows", for the Brigalows Pastoral company at Moree, said that now the State had stepped up and delivered drought support, it was time for the federal government to do the same.
"It seems you have to suffer for a while before you get anything," he said.
Kate Spry, "Hillcrest", Gowrie, said the package was a "great start" but agreed the federal government now needed to come to the table.
"I know this crisis has the attention of State government; however I feel we now need federal government intervention.
"Issues of Australian agriculture need to be addressed, such as market decline and fluctuation coupled with the ever-increasing cost of production, water availability for effective and efficient production, and the list goes on."
The expanded measures complement existent government assistance, which includes transport subsidies for animal welfare, and increased funding to the Rural Support Worker Program.
The additional measures include:
- up to $20,000 per producer in the form of a Transport Assistance Reimbursement;
- up to $30,000 per producer for Emergency Water Infrastructure Grants; and
- the waiving of Western Lands Lease payments, Local Land Services rates and Wild Dog Destruction Board rates for a 12-month period, where applicable.
The measures are backdated to 1 January 2014 for all the LGAs – with the exception of the Transport Assistance Reimbursement for Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett LGAs which is back-dated to 1 July 2013.
Mr Logan said it was great to finally see much needed transport subsidies, especially with the high cost of transporting fodder from southern NSW or Victoria. Ms Simson noted Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett landholders are quickly exhausting their allocations for transport subsidies.
Mr Logan said the federal government should now look at introducing a support measure that was used in the last drought.
"The last time there was a bad drought, employees on the farms were given the dole, so that when it finally rained the owners still had staff to work on the farms," he said.
Ms Hodgkinson is touring drought-affected communities in northern NSW this week and announced the package in Tamworth today.
“Seasonal conditions are deteriorating at a rapid rate across a large portion of NSW and I am concerned at the severity and speed at which this drought is moving across the landscape,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“Farmers are in some cases being forced to drastically reduce stock numbers, have been carting in feed and water for some time and have been forced to offload livestock at reduced prices to saleyards and abattoirs, which are reporting extremely high levels of throughput."
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall welcomed the extension of emergency assistance measures.
“Primary producers in the Northern Tablelands region are world class and have prepared as well as they could for this drought, but as it has moved beyond any reasonable level of preparedness,” he said.
The temporary emergency assistance package will be expanded to include the LGAs of:
Armidale; Bogan; Central Darling; Cobar; Coonamble; Gilgandra; Glen Innes; Gunnedah; Guyra; Gwydir; Inverell; Moree Plains; Narrabri; Tamworth Regional; Tenterfield; Uralla; Walcha; Warren; and Warrumbungle, as well as Broken Hill and the far west Unincorporated Area.
Ms Spry questioned whether US-style subsidies could help the long-term sustainability of Australian agriculture.
"I am concerned how we are going to attract future farmers to the land when they've witnessed their parents live through such an incredibly severe and devastating drought," she said.
"There is no doubt that Australian farmers are a resilient bunch, however it breaks your heart to hear stories of second and third generation graziers leaving the farm this past six months, with the feeling that they have exhausted all resources."
