Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Farm Household Support (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2014 is a companion bill to the Farm Household Support Bill 2014.

Together, these bills deliver a new legislative scheme to deliver income support to farmers and their partners who are experiencing financial hardship.

This bill repeals the Farm Household Support Act 1992 and amends other acts.

Repealing the Farm Household Support Act 1992 is appropriate as all of the programs and payments under the act are redundant. It also makes consequential amendments of a minor nature to other acts to support the full and effective implementation of the farm household allowance.

This bill also includes transitional provisions to ensure recipients of non-legislated income support payments, including the new interim farm household allowance, can transition to the legislated farm household allowance as smoothly as possible.

This bill draws a line under past approaches to drought support, enables the farm household allowance to assist our farmers and their families, and ensures relevant transitional arrangements are there to support those in need.

Debate adjourned.

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