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

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Minister, as you know, much of my electorate is currently experiencing a one-in-100-year drought, particularly in the mid and upper south-east and in the Mallee. What measures, Minister, is this government taking to assist our nation's drought affected farmers, including those in my electorate of Barker?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question and note what is happening in his electorate, especially in the areas that have experienced a one-in-100-year drought. In his electorate, which has so much to add to the agricultural production of our nation, it is only proper that we do whatever is in our power at a federal level—in conjunction with the states—to try and make sure we play a small part in alleviating it.

We know that there have been good rains on the eastern side of our nation, but there are still sections of South Australia that have been doing it awfully tough. The mid to upper south-east of South Australia—particularly around the towns of Naracoorte, Bordertown and Wolseley—have now missed two seasons, and farmers who rely on cropping for more than 60 per cent of their income are doing it particularly tough. Parts of South Australia in the Barker electorate have experienced the lowest on record rainfall over the past two years. But what we are doing is making sure that we get cash to people who are doing it tough, so that at least they can pay for their groceries, they can pay their fuel bill and they can keep the dignity in their life. This is done through the Farm Household Allowance. Across Australia, we have now given out $91.9 million—it has been paid out—and 5,740 claims have been granted. On average, the government is now paying out $1.35 million a week in Farm Household Allowance.

Since coming to office, the coalition has made available $80 million in concessional loans for South Australian farmers. We are making sure that across our nation there has been around $400 million in drought concessional loans approved, supporting 768 farm businesses. As part of the white paper, the government will make a quarter of billion dollars available for concessional loans this year, which locks in $2.5 billion in loans for the next 10 years. We have put $25.8 million towards the control of pest, weeds and animals in drought affected areas, with $15 million in projects funded this year, including $1 million for South Australia to strengthen the north-east dog fence and also to deal with wild dogs, camels, feral pigs, feral horses and weeds control in South Australia's arid lands.

We have also put $1.8 million in additional support for the Rural Financial Counselling Service, of which $160,000 has gone to South Australian rural financial counselling services. We have also made sure that we have got $20 million for delivery of enhanced social and community support, including drought coordinators. We have also brought in accelerated depreciation: 100 per cent for fencing, 100 per cent for water, and over three years for fodder storage for silos and sheds.

We recently increased farm management deposits from $400,000 to $800,000 to help self-management. We are making sure that we push banks for these to be offset. We are doing this and more, and we continue to work closely with the people of South Australia and across our nation in support of those in drought. (Time expired)