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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House what the government is doing to help Australian farmers who are suffering through crippling drought?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Maranoa for his question. I think all members of the house for the concern that they have shown about our fellow Australians, particularly in Western Queensland and western New South Wales, who are suffering from crippling drought. I was pleased to be with the Minister for Agriculture about 10 days ago in the member for Maranoa's electorate. I was also in the member for Parkes's electorate and the member for Farrer's electorate to look at the predicament and to hear first hand what people are experiencing.

I should point out to the House that a once-in-20-year drought—let alone a once-in-a-century drought, which is what some people are experiencing— is much more akin to a natural disaster than it is to an ordinary variation in the business cycle. I want to assure country Australians, I want to assure all Australians, that this government intends to stand by people in need. We intend to stand by people in good times and in bad.

The package of measures which the minister and myself announced earlier today is, I believe, fair, fiscally responsible and builds on existing programs. That is why it is able to be implemented reasonably quickly. There are five elements to the package which the minister and I announced. The first is greater access to income support for drought affected people who have no income and who cannot sell, cannot leave and cannot borrow on the strength of their properties; greater access to concessional loans for drought-hit farmers; more assistance to state governments dealing with feral animals; more assistance to state governments to deal with water infrastructure projects; and more assistance to community groups who are dealing with people in personal crisis.

I think the Australian people get it when it comes to drought. They understand that our cities cannot live without a countryside to support them. That is why I am sure that Australians will welcome the package of measures that the minister and I announced today. Obviously, what we really need is rain. I hope and pray for rain. The government, regrettably, cannot work miracles, but we will do what we reasonably can to stand with people in trouble. My message to country people is: we will not let you down.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence, on behalf of the opposition, I welcome the announcement of a drought assistance package. We offer our strong support for helping farmers in the face of this severe drought. We look forward to securing further details and an indication of exactly how many farm families the package is likely to assist. We appreciate and know that our farmers need help and they need his help now.

There are days and issues in this parliament where the opposition will not agree with the government, but on the issue of supporting our farmers in drought, we agree. We offer a bipartisan approach to future drought policy development. Australia's hardworking farmers deserve no less than the strong support of the entire parliament, which they have today.