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Minister urged to review drought decision

Posted on February 20, 2009, 8:08am and updated on February 21, 2009 at 8:49 am

Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Bourke is being called on to review his decision not to extend drought assistance for the Lower South East.

The Lower South East is the only pocket in South Australia and Victoria which has been excluded from drought assistance.

Yet climatic conditions around Mount Gambier and Millicent are similar to those around Portland and Warrnambool, according to Lower South East rural counsellor Charlie Goode.

Mr Goode also operates a mixed farm near Naracoorte and led the Upper South East Drought Action Group on behalf of the SA Farmers Federation (SAFF).

As a SAFF delegate to the Limestone Coast Regional Development Board, Mr Goode won the board’s support on Monday afternoon to seek a review of Mr Bourke’s decision.

Mr Goode said the decision to exclude the Lower South East “defies logic”.

“Tony Bourke said he was totally opposed to drawing lines on maps — this is a line on a map and it just doesn’t make sense,” Mr Goode said.

“We are trying to get a review on the grounds it is unfair.”

Mr Goode said he had been in contact with the minister’s office and the decision was made on the advice climatic conditions had improved in the Lower South East.

“That just makes it even more confusing — that reason just doesn’t stack up,” Mr Goode said, highlighting the climatic conditions of Western Victoria being similar to those in the South East.

He said the development board would be writing to Mr Bourke on behalf of SAFF and farmers and small business people in the Lower South East.

Mr Goode said many farmers and small businesses were doing it tough as a result of climatic conditions.

At the end of September last year about 280 farmers and small businesses from the entire South East were receiving drought assistance in the form of interest rate subsidies.

Mr Goode said since then 350 people, or more people were in need of assistance.

He said 350 to 400 small business people and farmers were receiving drought relief payments from Centrelink.

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Comments

2 Responses to “Minister urged to review drought decision”

  1. Patrick Secker MP on February 20th, 2009 3:14 pm 1

    As the Federal Representative for Barker, I have demanded that the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry reverse his decision to cancel Exceptional Circumstances funding to the Lower South East.

    I am outraged at the Minister’s decision. There is simply no reason for the south east of South Australia to be denied funding. That area, along with much of Australia continues to experience the worst drought in a century.

    The Bureau of Meteorology has reported that for South Australia, rainfall over the agricultural districts was mostly very much below average with many locations recording their lowest or equal lowest rainfall amounts for January and many locations recorded no rainfall at all.

    Widespread heat wave conditions were recorded in both January and February with highest ever maximum and minimum temperatures at several places.

    I told the Minister that Labor’s decision will create hardship for the region’s farmers, particularly so for the dairy farmers in that area, who have endured a particularly dry spring, as well as a recent 30 per cent drop in farm-gate milk prices.

    The Rudd Labor Government decision is nonsensical given that the neighbouring area in South Western Victoria has had their exceptional circumstances extended to April 2010.

    Just another Rudd Labor Government attack on rural and regional Australia.

  2. Jeremy Aston on February 22nd, 2009 9:26 pm 2

    Well said Mr Secker and top marks for sticking up for this region and the people that drive the economy in this region…you’re a champion :-)