Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to raise the plight of farmers in my electorate. At the moment, they are going through what is called a 'green drought'. This is having implications, whether they be in the west of my electorate with our sheep and beef farmers around Marino and Digby, or in the south-west with the dairy farmers in and around the Simpson area. They are suffering from a lack of water, and it's a lack of water which has been below average for nearly 18 months now.

In June I wrote to the then agriculture minister, asking for support and help for these farmers. I am yet to get a reply. I say to the new agriculture minister: please have a look at this. Talk to the Victorian state government. The way the process works is the Victoria state government should be making an application on behalf of my farmers to get them the assistance that they need, but so far nothing is happening. I ask the agricultural Minister: pick up the phone and find out what is happening on the ground in western Victoria, because farmers need help at this time. If we don't get rain over the spring, it's going to get worse and worse. Please, do your bit.