Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne. Will the minister advise the Senate of the measures in the budget to support farmers who are suffering through the effects of drought?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for her question and for her interest in this area. In the lead up to the budget, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Agriculture announced a $333 million package of drought support measures for drought affected farmers and Australians in those areas. As part of that package, $20 million will be targeted to delivering expanded social support services, in particular, to drought affected communities. It is clear from the evidence that we have seen across these communities that social support is crucial to helping farmers, farm families and rural communities to cope at this very tough time.

The drought coordinators in the Department of Human Services, who play a particularly important role, are a critical part of that support. We have had very positive responses to the five drought coordinators, who have been in place for some time and across New South Wales and Queensland. Part of the budget announcement in relation to this was to extend their tenure until 30 June 2016. Having met with recipients of the Farm Household Allowance and beneficiaries of the work of the drought coordinators, I can testify to how important their contribution is.

In addition, the budget has indicated that two more drought coordinators will be engaged from 1 July this year to service the drought affected areas in Western Australia and, particularly, in relation to Senator Ruston, the border of South Australia and Victoria, where these issues are also very prevalent, until 30 June 2016. The extension of the coordinators' terms and the addition of the two others ensures that farmers and rural Australians in the worst hit areas have continuing access to mental health services and family relationship support. (Time expired)

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister outline the role that the drought coordinators play and how they have helped the affected communities?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also wanted to indicate in my previous answer that the government is providing in the budget $1.8 million to fund additional financial counsellors, who are vital for farmers in these situations, and $250 million in the 2015-16 financial year to ensure that farmers continue to have access to the existing concessional loan schemes. As well as that, the drought coordinators from my department have done an extraordinary job over the last year or so. They understand the phenomenal pressure that is put on farmers' mental and physical health and particularly on their family relationships. We hear about this. I heard Senator O'Sullivan speaking about it earlier today in the chamber, in fact. As at the beginning of this month, our drought coordinators have travelled over 225,000 kilometres in New South Wales and Queensland, attended over 1,100 meetings and visited over 200 community events with affected community members. (Time expired)

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister further advise how the support that has been provided by the government is going to help farmers and their families?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for her second supplementary question. I can advise that, through the work of the drought coordinators and the other social support initiatives that are already in place, more than 9,800 people from these communities have accessed direct community mental health support, including advice and counselling, over 2,800 referrals have been made to other services and nearly 18,000 people have had access to services such as family counselling. There is absolutely no denying the seriousness of the situation that these families face and the challenges they deal with every day. The work of the social support services, and particularly our drought coordinators in the Department of Human Services, is doing an exceptional job to support these people in these extraordinarily difficult times.