Drought

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of drought.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: It was reported in The Advertiser on 29 September that a PIRSA Limestone Coast drought round table agreed that the government needed clearer messaging on how drought is defined and the support available. My questions to the minister are:

1. How can her government deliver clearer messaging on how drought is defined?

2. Can the minister provide how clearer messaging can support growers when it comes to a drought definition?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:25): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is actually an important question because there is still a misunderstanding in the community that there are drought declarations and that there needs to be some definition of drought before assistance kicks in. This hasn't been the case now for over a decade.

My advice is that since 2013 there have no longer been formal drought declarations. What that means is that we don't need to wait for such a declaration before landowners and producers are able to access assistance. That sort of assistance is available all the time, without waiting for some declaration.

This is particularly important to understand because I have had a number of people write to me asking for a drought declaration or had people raise with me, 'Why haven't we made a drought declaration?' It's part of an agreement through the federal government and the other states and territories under the National Drought Agreement that assistance should be available at all times.

Previously, what might occur is that drought was declared in a particular region, and yet across the road in a different region obviously the conditions were very similar and yet they wouldn't necessarily be eligible for drought assistance. The drought declarations and associated definitions have not been enforced now for over a decade.