Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Ellison. Will the minister inform the Senate of the action taken by the government to assist farmers affected by the drought?

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is indeed a very important question from Senator McGauran dealing with the drought, which afflicts so much of regional Australia today. The Howard government are vitally concerned about the drought, which affects not only primary producers but also those businesses dependent on farming. In October 2006 we announced an extension to exceptional circumstances, and a number of areas were declared in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. As a result of that, the drought bus initiative was introduced. We have three drought buses operating across a number of states. It is fantastic when you see the work that has been done in regional Australia in delivering services to those people in regional Australia where there might not be a Centrelink office or there might not be readily available those sorts of services that we enjoy in the city.

Some 60,000 calls have been answered by the Australian Government Drought Hotline, and Centrelink has finalised more than 15,000 applications. Importantly, the drought bus service includes not only Centrelink and Medicare staff but also social workers and rural service officers travelling to regional Australia to provide a range of assistance to people in regional Australia who want to take that up. I think that is very important, because we have to realise that the drought brings with it not only economic problems but also social problems, and the counselling that goes with these services is very important indeed. We are extending the drought bus program, and I am looking forward to launching it in my home state of Western Australia in April this year.

For those people who think they are eligible for assistance, it is important that they not self-assess but that they test their eligibility. I urge them to call 132316—a hotline which is available for them—to see what assistance is available.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From the catcalling that I am hearing from the opposition, it is obvious that some people do not take this seriously. There are people in regional Australia who are struggling as a result of the drought, and it is important that we deliver services to them. The drought bus initiative is doing that. It is taking to the bush the sorts of services we take for granted in the city, such as Centrelink, Medicare and counselling; and the take-up is very encouraging. We have nearly 100 staff processing drought applications, and more staff will be made available if required. They are doing a great job. They have travelled around 30,000 kilometres so far, visiting around 160 towns in drought-affected areas of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. That gives you some idea of the geographic footprint of these drought buses.

This initiative is bringing to regional Australia services which are essential not only to rural producers but also to businesses which are dependent on farmers—who are, in turn, suffering from the drought we are experiencing across this country. This is a serious and important initiative, and I congratulate the officers concerned in delivering it to regional Australia. They are working tirelessly across a range of areas to ensure that those people in regional Australia are not forgotten.