Drought Assistance

Mr BASHAM (Finniss) (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Could we start again? Members on my left, please!

Mr BASHAM: My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister inform the house how the government is helping to reduce costs for families and farmers who have been and still are impacted by drought conditions?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:47): I thank the member for Finniss for his very important question. He, as one of the great advocates for regional South Australia, knows only too well the impact that drought has had on regional communities.

While we have seen some relief over the recent beginning of the season, there are still parts of the state that are severely impacted by drought and they, too, have not had the rains that others more fortunate have seen. What the government has done is work with the dry working group, and I think that has been an absolutely commendable group of industry people and government representatives to give us the advice and the understanding as to exactly where taxpayers' money should be put to support that primary sector that is in drought.

We have announced our $21 million drought support program and it has been very well received. The council rate rebate to date for those on Farm Household Allowance: we have seen 146 approved for over $511,000. The pastoral rent rebate: 177 pastoralists have received almost $700,000. We are also driving down the cost of stock loss. As an election commitment, we have employed three FTEs as wild dog trappers and introduced the $120 dog bounty. We have seen that 684 wild dogs have been trapped to date. That's an outstanding result for those pastoralists and the primary producers of livestock that have been decimated by wild dogs.

We have also at the moment put into place $200,000 for the dog bait program. That sits alongside $25 million for the generational piece of infrastructure, the dog fence. That rebuild commenced nearly two weeks ago now, and I have seen the first areas of that fence that have been replaced. It's very exciting that these pastoralists, these livestock owners, are now seeing the fruits of a government that is governing for all of South Australia. It's really important. Also, it reduces the wild dog management costs to those pastoralists by up to $97 million. That's an outstanding result for those people.

There is $100,000 for the Soil Erosion Emergency Action Fund to address soil drift and stabilise paddocks. For any of you who have been over on Eyre Peninsula and on the Sturt Highway who have seen those paddocks drifting across the highways, it breaks your heart, so we are putting money there to help stabilise that country and help farmers who have been impacted by that sand drift. There is $1 million for Rural Business Support, and we have boosted the unique Family and Business mentor program. Those FaB Scouts are doing an outstanding job looking after the health and wellbeing of our primary producers through a $1.7 million program.

We are also spending $5 million to match the commonwealth government's On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme. That is a contribution of up to $50,000 for upgrading water infrastructure, helping those farms to droughtproof. I think it's also important to note that this initiative is a collaboration between the commonwealth government and the state government to give our farmers the assistance they need to upgrade that water infrastructure. The 353 applications approved to date have put $4.6 million back into those local communities.

The $330,000 for the community drought recovery events has been impacted by COVID-19, but that money will be rolling out. I want to congratulate the Minister for Education, who has also doubled the State Education Allowance for geographically isolated parents to $4,300. It is an outstanding package helping our drought-affected farmers because #RegionsMatter.