Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Aussie farmers are amongst the best in the world. A strong agricultural sector means strong rural communities and a stronger national economy. The federal government's drought relief package is designed to support both farmers and regional communities. We're helping farmers and graziers who are doing it tough with a number of measures. Principal in those is the farm household allowance. It's an income support payment available to farmers and their partners experiencing financial hardship. There are also interest-free concessional loans available to help farmers and agriculture-reliant small businesses. There is $50 million available in rebates for on-farm efficiency water infrastructure. We're providing relief for farmers with $75 million in tax measures, including accelerated asset depreciation for fodder storages and, of course, we've increased thresholds to farm management deposits.

We've increased funding for rural financial counselling to help with financial planning, mentoring and coaching. The Rural Financial Counselling Service provides free financial counselling, nationally, for farmers, fishing enterprises, forestry growers and harvesters, and small agriculture related businesses in or at risk of financial hardship. These services help navigate the range of tools, information and services available to help farmers plan, make decisions and take action, both now and in the future.

I can't recommend it enough—how valuable this service can be. For local councils, an additional $1 million is available for economic stimulus in drought affected areas as well as $138 million for the Roads to Recovery program, which will also help councils build safer, better roads. We're also committing $70 million in funding for local charities, like St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army and the Country Women's Association, to provide support, including counselling. Also, $15 million is being made available to the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal Tackling Tough Times Together program to fund community and non-profit groups in drought affected regions.

We're building a more drought-resilient Australia, establishing the $5 billion Future Fund and putting the infrastructure in place to help us deal with future droughts. A new National Water Grid Authority is being established to develop, in partnership with states and territories, a national water infrastructure plan. The government is also making up to 100 gigalitres of water available at $100 a megalitre in the southern connected Murray-Darling Basin to increase the production of fodder, silage and pasture. This measure will help farmers' breeding stock, which is vital to drought recovery.

There is help out there, and I encourage anyone wanting more information about the support available to go to farmhub.org.au. It's not a set-and-forget response. We'll continue to listen to farmers and communities affected, and we'll continue to respond.

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