WORK-for-the-dole recruits could soon be spreading weeds in a paddock near you, conscripted into the Abbott government's Green Army and Landcare NSW, which was stripped of $483 million in funding in last week's federal budget, is furious with the scheme that sends busloads of youths aged 17 to 24 to do crucial environmental work as an alternative to the work-for-the-dole program.
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"Why would you take money away from people who are passionate about what they do, and will do the job for free, and give it to people at below minimum wage to do the same job, when they don't want to do it anyway, and don't have the skills to do it?" asked chairman of Landcare NSW Rob Dulhunty.
Green Army soldiers will get first aid and health and safety training, but Mr Dulhunty questioned whether that would be enough to deal with tasks like weed control.
Despite being below the minimum wage, Green Army participants will be paid more than Youth Allowance and NewStart allowance from Centrelink.
Mr Dulhunty said the federal government had broken election promises by cutting Landcare funds in last week's budget.
Every dollar the government puts into Landcare can attract anywhere between $4 and $20 in co-investment from the private sector, he said.
"At least $2 billion in investment is being taken out of rural and regional Australia.
"Funding for Landcare is not a cost for the government, it is an investment."
Mr Dulhunty called on National Party members to oppose the cuts.
"I'm not sure why there is not more noise coming out of the representatives for rural and regional Australia," he said.
Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said the budget delivered more than $2 billion for key Coalition commitments in natural resource management, including funding for Landcare, the Green Army, Reef 2050 Plan, Working on Country, the Land Sector Package and investments in the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
"Reforms to the National Landcare Program will put the Landcare community back at the centre of land management programs that will encourage partnerships with Green Army and Working on Country projects," Mr Joyce said.
Mr Dulhunty said once co-investment figures were taken into account, the impact would be catastrophic.
"Less weed control. Less wild dog control. Lower water quality for irrigators," he said.
Due to Local Land Services (LLS) being created this year, its funding arrangement as a conduit between the federal government and Landcare NSW only lasts until December 31, 2014, which is another uncertainty.
Regional bodies in other States have four-year arrangements, and the LLS and NSW Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson admitted they weren't sure of funding arrangements after December 31.
Mr Dulhunty said the confusion was not ideal.
"LLS is obviously a key reform... any problems with these cuts in funding... will have an enormous impact."
More budget reaction pp16-17.
Roderick Makim
Senior journalist for The Land.
Senior journalist for The Land.
