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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-11-26 Daily Xml
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Drought Assistance

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (15:10): My question is to the Premier. How will today's drought funding announcement help farmers in my electorate? With your leave, Mr Speaker, and the leave of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: The state government has announced an $18 million package to assist farming communities.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:11): I thank the member for MacKillop for his question. The member for MacKillop obviously represents a highly productive agricultural industry—in fact, one of the most productive not just in this country but anywhere in the world—in his community of south-eastern South Australia. One of the reasons why—

Mr Telfer: Anywhere in the world.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Okay. Maybe you can take up the mantle for the member for Unley when he finishes. The member for MacKillop, having a home or living and being a participant in the agricultural sector in his own part of the state would be well aware that it is highly unusual for a lack of rainfall to occur in the South-East of South Australia—in fact, it is the last place you would expect to see evidence of drought-like conditions, yet that is exactly what is occurring. That became very clear to me when I sat down and met with a group of primary producers in the South-East when I was most recently in Mount Gambier.

Following that, the Minister for Primary Industries, myself and the Treasurer put our heads together, along with a range of officials, as to what more the state government can do beyond the existing package of support that exists. That is why earlier today I was very pleased to announce a package of new money and new resources for regional communities.

Just to give a snapshot of some of those items which make up an $18 million package of drought relief across the state, we have $5 million for On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants for rebates of up to 75 per cent that assist with projects to manage drought conditions and strengthen drought preparedness; $2 million to assist charities with freight costs to transport donated fodder to assist farmers with feeding livestock—and I note that there have been federal MPs from the Coalition who have already been quick to tweet and announce their support of this announcement—$1 million for additional health and wellbeing support through the Rural Financial Counselling Service and Family and Business Support Program; $100,000 grants for the Connecting Communities Events Program; and a $4.4 million budget commitment to Family and Business Mentors and Rural Financial Counsellors, who will provide free confidential and independent services that link people with appropriate assistance; and $5.5 million funding provided to the state and federal government's Future Drought Fund.

We announced this package today in the presence of a farmer from the upper South-East, up at Pinnaroo in your electorate. Robyn Verrall is a farmer in MacKillop and she articulated quite thoughtfully and succinctly to the awaiting media the challenges that are currently being experienced. She quite aptly pointed out that farmers aren't the type to look for a handout but a hand up. That's why we have calibrated the package in the way that we have.

In particular, the most significant part of the package is that capital funding program, with a statement or map to provide funding that requires a matching contribution from primary producers themselves on the type of infrastructure that makes them more resilient to drought-like conditions. With the prospect of climate change having a more real-world impact than ever before—and we know that it will only continue—these are the types of policy initiatives that we think will have the most enduring impact rather than just a cash handout.

Our agricultural sector in South Australia punches above its weight. It has contributed enormously to the state's economy in recent good years. We have a duty to support them in tougher years, and that's what this package seeks to achieve.

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