Drought Assistance

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Primary Industries a question on the topic of drought.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: The opposition has been contacted by hundreds of farmers right across the state who are desperate to get food and water to their livestock, which are hungry and thirsty. Many farmers destocked months ago in preparation for the dry conditions and are now down to their breeding stock. One farmer, Jenny from Booleroo, said:

I was 10 weeks pregnant when we did an article with The Advertiser on drought, I'm now almost full term. That's how long the Labor Party has been silent on this drought if not longer. In the meantime they have secured tourism events, poured money into football ovals and travelled to Whyalla.

Another farmer, Carly from Melrose, wrote:

We have been disappointed with the lack of engagement from all levels of state government on the drought, in fact, I can't recall hearing the Premier mutter the words. The drought is a significant issue impacting all farmers and farming communities in SA…I urge you to please get out to our communities, speak to the farmers and please step in and provide meaningful support to drought-affected farmers.

Another pleaded:

As a farmer we simply need acknowledgement at the highest level that this year is a drought with most places experiencing the driest 12 months on record. Financial support for charity organisations is the first step and must be guaranteed. But there are so many other things that should be done.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Will the minister commit to expanding the freight subsidy for the charity hay runs?

2. Does she concede that farmers are fast running out of time to get food and water to their breeding stock?

3. What is the government doing to ensure basic animal welfare standards are being met?

4. Does the minister concede that the time for monitoring the situation has passed and that the time for action was yesterday?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:27): I thank the honourable member for her question. Certainly, I think we can all empathise with people such as Jenny, who are going through the very difficult circumstances that we are faced with when we have drought in our state. Unlike many previous droughts, this is mainly confined to SA and to parts of western Victoria. I am very pleased for the rest of the country that they are not going through this because it is so very difficult.

I think it would be clear that the government has acknowledged drought, given that we announced in November a drought support package. The Premier has mentioned drought frequently, particularly in regard to the drought support package but also more broadly. I would encourage those opposite to point people towards the assistance that is available, both from the state government and from the federal government.

Things such as the charity hay runs are continuing. Currently, runs are happening, and the various inputs that we have had in terms of the feedback, both about the existing package that was offered but also, prior to that, how the development of that package was arrived at, were because of the drought round tables that we had across the state. It was because of the input from bodies into the Drought Advisory Group. We continue to talk regularly about drought, to talk directly to those who are impacted as well as to their peak bodies, and we continue to look at further appropriate assistance.