Drought Round Table

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): Supplementary: what does the minister say to thousands of farmers across the state who do not believe that her government will provide necessary support, because its response so far has been, to quote many of them, 'stagnant and woefully inadequate'?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:24): I would encourage those opposite to actually provide information about the assistance available. I have spoken on numerous occasions not only about the drought support package but also about the federal assistance that is available. This is something that we have continued to talk about at every opportunity, and yet some of the feedback continues to be that people are calling for assistance which is already available. In fact, I think we have seen that some of the suggestions made by those opposite are things that they should know are already available.

It is an emerging situation, an ongoing changing situation. As I have said before in this place, different parts of the state are affected to different degrees. Every part is in drought, but they are affected in different ways and to different degrees. That's why it is important that we continue to listen and that our actions will reflect what we have heard.