Ministerial Statement

DROUGHT RECOVERY PROGRAM

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:25): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: While most of the state has experienced heavy rainfall over the past six to12 months, it is important to acknowledge and remember that many districts are coming out of drought for the first time in many years. In 2006, South Australia was facing the worst ever drought on record. It was vital that businesses, families and communities were supported. A coordinated whole of government response was required; it needed to be evidence-based, innovative, flexible and responsive to regional needs. Urgent action was needed and urgent action was taken.

In September 2006, I convened a drought subcommittee of cabinet and established a high-level drought task force to device ways to support affected farmers and communities through the drought and into recovery. We also engaged the Hon. Dean Brown as a special adviser on drought to provide government with high-level strategic advice as conditions evolved. A package of measures was designed to complement the National Drought Policy, including support to the exceptional circumstances arrangements, and to provide support to the social fabric of communities.

The state government's drought program has played a pivotal role in underpinning farm business and the rural community's ability to manage and recover. There has been a five-year sustained effort across government. We took a phased approach to respond, as issues emerged, providing ready access to services and support. There were 14 phases of support, moving from crisis to recovery to transitioning to preparedness. This whole of government approach included strong links with the community through the formation of regional task forces, bringing together regional leaders to communicate and coordinate support and services.

Following my visit, with the honourable Minister for Infrastructure, to Eyre Peninsula in late 2007, we recognised the need for regional drought coordinators, and three were subsequently appointed to support the four regional task forces. Over a five-year period, the drought response has provided $115 million in government support to businesses, families and communities.

In terms of farm business support, an impressive number of services were provided. I advise that 2,450 businesses received interest rate subsidies, the state contributing 10 per cent of the cost. The state provided 1,568 businesses with business planning grants. Three thousand clients were supported by Rural Financial Counselling South Australia, with the state providing specific funds for additional staff, and the state provided 1,725 irrigators with a critical water allocation to underpin the survival of permanent plantings on the River Murray. We also delivered a program of technical workshops, including strategic planning, succession planning and communication, a farm debt mediation service, and specific drought business management planning support for irrigators.

The other critical component of the program was to support the social fabric of the regions. This was strongly supported by the SA Farmers Federation and delivered through Country Health SA. Some 4,200 people were supported by Country Health community counsellors and 733 men were directly assisted through the Peer Support Project. Our drought support centres provided a one-stop shop for these services. We set up the drought information hotline to provide a single point of contact for people in rural communities. Regional workforce retention was a vital component of the wellbeing of rural communities, and 908 young apprentices were supported to stay in work and in their regions.

We recognise the skills of farmers and provided further training to expand opportunities to gain work on and off farm, in particular, in mining. A total of 742 farmers were supported to learn new transferable skills. We helped assist families by maintaining 22 otherwise unviable school bus runs, offering school expenses assistance with the drought school card and offering mental health education through schools.

The government is proud that the state's support program was able to evolve with the emerging and changing needs of regions. The significant impacts of drought on the economy, environment and community were minimised. Just as importantly, farmers and families were supported through the drought. Following the successful drought program, communities are now stronger and thus will be able to respond very quickly when the next drought inevitably occurs.

Thankfully this current season has proved excellent for South Australia. While there were some difficulties during the grain harvest, we have produced a record crop, with strong prices providing a strong return to the state. Many farmers were able to capitalise on the good season due to the critical support provided during the drought, and the program has provided a template of action that is now incorporated into the commonwealth's drought response approach. It will also provide a template for action when drought inevitably revisits South Australia sometime in the future.

I would like to say thank you to all the members of the high level Drought Task Force, all those involved in implementing the program which has made such a difference to drought-affected communities. I want to thank both the minister for agriculture and his predecessor, and I want to particularly thank Dean Brown, former premier of South Australia, for his assistance and dedicated hard work.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!