Growing up, everyone talked about the 1964-65 drought, it was seen as the benchmark of how bad things can get.
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Well, for many in our area this one is worse.
It is for many, the worst drought since 1902 more than 100 years ago.
As such, it is a true natural disaster and as a natural disaster, it needs a dedicated process by government to help because we need the farmers to be there so that when it does rain the commerce and prosperity come back to the towns.
The Federal Government’s role should be in grants for financial hardship payments to the household.
The role of the State Government is in assistance to move stock, fodder and sometimes water.
Farmers are asking for freight subsidies and in Queensland freight subsidies are still available.
The NSW budget is in surplus so there should be capacity for this assistance.
I commend the state for its recent package, the centrepiece being $50,000 interest-free loans but this has to be repaid.
The Federal Government provides assistance in Farm Household Allowance, a cash payment for people on the land to assist with basic requirements during drought; farm management deposits which allow people to get a tax deduction for money they save in better times to be used during drought; a 100 per cent write off for water infrastructure to better prepare for droughts; 100 per cent write off for fencing and tax write off over three years in silos and haysheds and infrastructure that helps store feed in droughts.
The Federal Government has recently had a windfall gain with penalties against the Commonwealth Bank worth about $700 million, so there is I believe, room for the government to move without affecting the budget bottom line.
And the State Government needs to understand that what farmers want is not another loan but to be able to move fodder and grain thousands of kilometres to keep cattle alive on their place, or alternatively move stock to where there is feed.
I know how politics works, at the start they say “farmers just have to manage for it” but that’s like saying to people after a cyclone has gone through “tough luck”.
This is a natural disaster and it is the role of governments to assist. If governments say they don’t believe in subsidising transport, then why do we subsidise commuters on the Sydney train network.
We do this because we think there is a public good in keeping cars off the road.
Well I think there is public good in keeping farmers on the land.
Barnaby Joyce is the Federal Member for New England.
