Farm FInance Package

In reply to the Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (6 May 2014). (First Session)

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change): The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries has received this advice:

1–5. The Minister for Agriculture, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries made a joint media statement on 20 February 2015 announcing the opening of the Drought Concessional Loans scheme.

Resolving this matter has been protracted with the commonwealth taking until 3 February 2015 to progress the scheme guidelines and other underpinning documents to enable this state to endorse the arrangements. The scheme was unable to commence until the commonwealth undertook internal steps for the approval of guidelines.

South Australia was also concerned the commonwealth sought to impose certain conditions removing any liability for the Scheme on the part of the commonwealth through the Bureau of Meteorology Service Rainfall Deficiency Reports threshold.

In the interest of implementing the scheme, The South Australian Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries agreed within 48 hours to endorse the service deed as it was evident the commonwealth was unwilling to recognise any concerns raised by South Australia.