Drought Assistance

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. N.J. Centofanti:

That this council—

1. Acknowledges that the value of South Australia's primary industry and agribusiness is of significant value, an estimated $18.5 billion in 2022-23;

2. Recognises that the current drought is, for many districts, the worst in living memory and is causing significant financial and mental stress across rural and regional communities in South Australia;

3. Agrees that the Malinauskas Labor government's $8.1 million 'new' funding in response to this drought is grossly inadequate considering the magnitude of hardship and suffering currently being endured by the sector;

4. Urges the Malinauskas government to explore all possible measures to ensure water and fodder supply to farming communities that desperately need it around the state;

5. Calls on the Malinauskas government to urgently provide meaningful assistance to South Australia's farming sector to underpin its ongoing viability for the benefit of all South Australians; and

6. Recognises that failure to provide meaningful assistance immediately will result in terrible human and animal welfare outcomes.

(Continued from 2 April 2025.)

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (17:08): I rise to speak in strong support of the Hon. Nicola Centofanti's motion urging the council to acknowledge that South Australia's primary industry and agribusiness is of significant value; recognise that the current drought is for many districts the worst in living memory, if not worse than that even, and is causing significant financial and mental stress; agree that the state Labor government's funding in response to this drought is inaccurate; call on the Malinauskas government to urgently provide meaningful assistance for South Australia's farming sector to underpin its ongoing viability for the benefit of all South Australians; and recognise that failure to provide meaningful assistance immediately will result in terrible human and animal welfare outcomes.

It is estimated that Adelaide has only received around 300 millimetres of rain since February last year, rendering the last 15 or so months as being our city's driest 15-month spell. I found this astonishing—our driest 15-month spell since records began in 1839. Similar shortfalls have unfortunately extended across the whole of agricultural South Australia, severely affecting our primary industries and agribusiness sector, which delivered an estimated $18.5 billion to our economy in the year 2022-23. As the Hon. Ms Centofanti has pointed out, that is close to one-fifth of the state's entire economic output.

The health of South Australia's grains, livestock, horticulture, wine, seafood, forestry and dairy sectors is therefore vital to our state, and it has been devastating to learn of the extent to which our farmers have been forced to endure this difficult situation. The Hon. Ms Centofanti, in her capacity as shadow minister for primary industries, has been diligently advocating on behalf of farmers for many months, consistently calling on the government to implement practical evidence-based solutions to relieve some of the pressure this drought is causing.

Of course, we would all recall that in absolute desperation South Australian farmers descended on the steps of Parliament House in March, just a couple of months ago, pleading for the government to act as they struggled to contend with the driest conditions our state has experienced, as I said, going back many years—according to some estimations, back to the 1830s. Standing alongside members of the opposition, farmers from across the state highlighted the stark reality of the drought, asking for a lifeline, drawing attention to the fact that assistance had been grossly inadequate due to the magnitude of what they are up against. Waiting months for a $5,000 grant simply does not suffice.

The common perspective is that the current state government's inaction reveals that it does not at all comprehend the severity of this drought and the seriousness of the situation. One farmer, who has been fielding calls from his neighbours, has reported back to the opposition, stating that they are extremely frustrated as even the government's very modest assistance package will be out of reach for many. Linking vehicle registration and emergency services levy relief to the Farm Household Allowance makes the rebate scheme inaccessible to most of them. Those who are ineligible to receive it rightly regard it as a travesty that a multimillion-dollar assistance package is being promoted but they simply cannot access it.

We must be cognisant of the fact that our agricultural sector is a huge economic driver for South Australia, as I have just outlined. Unless it is provided adequate financial aid to navigate this drought period, there will be lasting economic and human consequences not only for the regions but also for our entire state as they produce so much of the food we eat and the produce we rely on for our economy. Not only are our farmers being affected but all the rural businesses associated with them. With lower food production and less money in our economy, the impact will likely be felt by consumers right across South Australia and, indeed, probably beyond. With the cost-of-living crisis, further increasing grocery prices is not something South Australian households should have to bear.

The overriding sentiment in the farming community is that the state Labor government does not understand the full impact this drought is having on their farms and their communities. Instead of providing genuine relief such as low or no-interest loans or assistance to meet cashflow commitments in the short term, the government seems more focused on appearing to help rather than actually doing so. This is evident in the way the government has counted pre-existing funding already in the budget as part of its response package and also in the long waiting periods farmers have to endure before finding out if their grant applications have been successful in their individual cases.

This is a really serious matter that deserves significant focus and immediate attention. The opposition believes the relief previously announced by Labor is plainly inadequate and implores the government to make drought assistance the highest of priorities in the best interests of our great state. I fully support the motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.