Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources) Share this | Hansard source

This bill demonstrates the government's responsiveness to the needs of farming communities in rural and regional Australia. The farm household allowance program provides additional support for farmers and their partners facing hardship, including drought. The government knows that some farmers are doing it tough and that's why, from 1 August 2018, we will increase the farm household allowance from three to four cumulative years. This bill proposes two temporary changes to the FHA program. We're increasing the net farm asset threshold to $5 million and we're providing a lump sum payment to all farmers and their partners on FHA. This is in addition to their fortnightly payments. The bill also pays a supplement, paid in two instalments, of up to $12,000 to a couple, where both recipients are on the farm household allowance, and up to $7,200 for single recipients.

The allowance is not about paying for feed and fodder; it's about putting food on the tables of our farming families and affording them the dignity to buy other essentials in life. In turn, this spending injects cash into local businesses, who are also doing it tough. When farmers stop spending, everybody feels it.

The government understands many farmers are experiencing tough times due to ongoing poor climatic conditions and it's not easy to ask for help. But FHA is more than just a social security payment. It provides an additional $1,500 to help develop a farm financial assessment; access to activity supplements of up to $4,000 for professional support, advice and training; access to a dedicated case officer; and assessment for allowances such as a healthcare card, pharmaceutical allowance, rent assistance, telephone allowance, an energy supplement and remote area allowance. The temporary measures provided for this in bill are designed to help our farmers in the short term while we undertake an independent review of FHA. The review will be completed in the first half of 2019 and it will provide further guidance on the design of FHA into the future.

This bill demonstrates the government's continued responsiveness to the needs of farm communities and rural communities and is part of our $1.8 billion package of assistance to our farmers who are currently suffering hardship. I thank the members for their contribution and I commend this bill to the house.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.