Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to bring to the attention this parliament an issue that is still of great concern to me—that is, the situation of drought still gripping many parts of rural and remote Australia. Many parts have had some patchy relief rain, and I say very patchy, over the summer period and many of course missed out completely and that is the issue I want to address. Much of the cropping lands of my electorate have very limited soil moisture. Very little wheat has been planted, which is the cash flow that will be vital to the many communities and families at the end of this year.

Queensland now is something like 75 per cent drought declared and it is worsening. With the climate forecasts saying that we are moving into an el nino, I feel very much that this winter is going to be a very bleak one with the situation worsening for many families and country towns. It is not just the families on the land because, without a profit, without cash flow that would come from good season, that money is not circulating in many country towns.

The Queensland government has already allocated something like $31 million towards this drought to support families. We as a federal government are going to provide another $300 million in a drought package at the start of July this year. But I am not quite sure that this is going to be enough. I weekly, if not daily, get emails from producers who forward me the letter that they have had from the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority rejecting their application for the financial package that we have provided as a federal government. It leaves these producers with very little option. They are looking down the barrel of perhaps exiting the land through, so often, no fault of their own—drought conditions and the impact that the live cattle debacle had on the capital value of these assets.

I am concerned as we go into this winter with the worsening el nino situation that I am going to receive more and more of these emails. I think we are going to have to do more, and next weekend I will be north of Longreach, where I know many properties are looking at partially or totally destocking. This situation is worsening across many parts of Queensland, and I think we have to revisit this area to make sure we are not only providing the necessary support for the families and making sure country towns have some support but also making sure banks are playing their part. I get letters from people who are saying that the banks are in many cases not prepared to refinance notwithstanding they have had accommodation in terms of debt reduction, and I think there is a concern that we have to raise with our banks as well.

I will be watching this very closely. I will be with producers next weekend, talking very closely with them and feeling the impact as I do every day. (Time expired)

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