Drought Assistance

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:36): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is lowering the cost of living for farmers during drought?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:36): I can, and I want to commend the member for Flinders for his outstanding work and leadership through the course of the drought. It's not just a drought that has happened this year or last year; it's a drought that has affected a lot of South Australia over three and four seasons. His work and leadership through those drought-affected communities have been outstanding.

I also want to commend the Premier for his ongoing support and visitation to those drought-affected communities in regional South Australia, and that has been the basis of the Marshall Liberal government's drought support program: $21 million has been put out into those drought-affected communities. It's about giving a level of support, not just financial support. Health and wellbeing has been our absolute priority.

What we have also done to help stimulate household economies is to put a significant amount of money into rebates for council rates. The rent relief for pastoralists in the Far North has been widely applauded because governments not only go out there and give support. It's about listening and what is the best way to spend taxpayers' money on putting a level of support out there for those who are doing it very, very tough over an extended period of time.

Currently, 151 farmers have been successful with the rent rebate and 196 pastoralists have seen their rent rebate relief, and that is just part of the drought package. Another initiative is the $5 million for the Emergency Water Infrastructure Fund. We have seen over 400 farmers apply for this, and to date we have rolled out 386 successful packages to help with that emergency water infrastructure. That is a great outcome.

There is also, of course, the $25 million, the collaboration between the state and commonwealth governments to rebuild the dog fence. Not only is that rebuilding a piece of generational infrastructure but it is allowing an industry to rebuild, particularly the sheep industry. We have rolled out the first 26 kilometres that have been rebuilt, and that is an outstanding achievement in a very short time. Also, 719 wild dogs have now been trapped through not only our trapping program, and the coordinated baiting program, but the $130 bounty that has been put on those wild dogs and that is doing the job. It is a job that has been a tireless task by the government and those communities that have been ravaged by the wild dogs.

Of course, we continue to roll out the $330,000 community drought recovery events program. That is about bringing those communities together through the hardship of drought and making sure that gives the government an opportunity to further listen to their concerns, the best way that the government can support them and also go out there into those regional communities.

The average country resident's water and sewerage bills will be cut by 13 per cent. We have heard quite a bit about the water savings here in South Australia, but what I would say is that those farmers are reliant not only on their household water but what about the troughs that need to be filled? What about the intensive husbandry pens for poultry, pork, lamb and beef that are high water consumers? They will now see a significant water saving that will help with their bottom line.

It is also the non-residential water bills that will be reduced by 18 per cent. That is an outstanding achievement, particularly for some of those farms that have been through drought or are going through drought. That is another hand up for them. But the $1 million primary production property will also save $85 on the ESL bill. This is an outstanding drought package, because we know #RegionsMatter.