Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also thank the minister and government for the new financial counsellors. We have several in Tasmania and they will be, and already are, very much appreciated. Also appreciated is the money for Rural Alive and Well, an organisation that is looking after forest contractors through some of the changes taking place throughout that industry. The farm household allowance will be provided, I understand, from 1 July 2014 to farmers in hardship to replace the exceptional circumstances relief payment and transitional farm family payment. Farmers in Tasmania are on the front line against climate volatility. The national drought reform package is focused on preparing farmers before drought with tools and skills that they need to emerge from it, sustain their enterprises through dry times and help them to survive.

You know, Minister, because you have been there and you have visited my electorate, about some of irrigation schemes that we are putting in place. That will build some drought-proofing for us as well, but we need to develop the new direction for farming in Australia to look toward the dry times so that we can assist the enterprises that are there for the long haul to sustain themselves during those dry times.

We are investing in the future, putting jobs and economic growth first and protecting the important services that Australia relies on. Minister, could you advise if the states and territories have agreed to the drought policy? Why is this a fairer policy than the old one for the new direction in which we are going?

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