❓ Hon. Kim Chance outlines drought assistance package for Nullarbor pastoralists, acknowledging severe conditions and reviewing data for further Commonwealth application despite current ineligibility based on objective data.
AnsweredQoN 552Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DROUGHT ASSISTANCE - NULLARBOR REGION
Can the minister advise what assistance the state government is able to provide to pastoralists in the Nullarbor region who are affected by drought? Hon KIM CHANCE
Can the minister advise what assistance the state government is able to provide to pastoralists in the Nullarbor region who are affected by drought? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Vince Catania not only for this question, but also for raising this matter repeatedly in the house and privately. As a result of Hon Vince Catania’s representations, I have looked at the situation in six or seven stations. The conditions are extremely difficult. As a result, I have authorised a dry seasons assistance package, which will apply to those stations. It amounts to a grant equivalent to the pastoral lease rentals and the agricultural protection lease sum over 2004-05 and 2005-06, two consecutive years. That will provide some assistance to those stations. The government does not pretend that it will make an enormous difference, but it will provide some relief. With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Vince Catania not only for this question, but also for raising this matter repeatedly in the house and privately. As a result of Hon Vince Catania’s representations, I have looked at the situation in six or seven stations. The conditions are extremely difficult. As a result, I have authorised a dry seasons assistance package, which will apply to those stations. It amounts to a grant equivalent to the pastoral lease rentals and the agricultural protection lease sum over 2004-05 and 2005-06, two consecutive years. That will provide some assistance to those stations. The government does not pretend that it will make an enormous difference, but it will provide some relief. With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
I thank Hon Vince Catania not only for this question, but also for raising this matter repeatedly in the house and privately. As a result of Hon Vince Catania’s representations, I have looked at the situation in six or seven stations. The conditions are extremely difficult. As a result, I have authorised a dry seasons assistance package, which will apply to those stations. It amounts to a grant equivalent to the pastoral lease rentals and the agricultural protection lease sum over 2004-05 and 2005-06, two consecutive years. That will provide some assistance to those stations. The government does not pretend that it will make an enormous difference, but it will provide some relief. With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Vince Catania not only for this question, but also for raising this matter repeatedly in the house and privately. As a result of Hon Vince Catania’s representations, I have looked at the situation in six or seven stations. The conditions are extremely difficult. As a result, I have authorised a dry seasons assistance package, which will apply to those stations. It amounts to a grant equivalent to the pastoral lease rentals and the agricultural protection lease sum over 2004-05 and 2005-06, two consecutive years. That will provide some assistance to those stations. The government does not pretend that it will make an enormous difference, but it will provide some relief. With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
I thank Hon Vince Catania not only for this question, but also for raising this matter repeatedly in the house and privately. As a result of Hon Vince Catania’s representations, I have looked at the situation in six or seven stations. The conditions are extremely difficult. As a result, I have authorised a dry seasons assistance package, which will apply to those stations. It amounts to a grant equivalent to the pastoral lease rentals and the agricultural protection lease sum over 2004-05 and 2005-06, two consecutive years. That will provide some assistance to those stations. The government does not pretend that it will make an enormous difference, but it will provide some relief. With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
With respect to other mechanisms, the difficulty for us in looking at areas with exceptional circumstances is that our analysis of the seasonal conditions in the Nullarbor, based on the objective data which are required under quite rigorous guidelines set, have not yet shown that the area qualifies in respect of those objective conditions to the extent that the state would be able to make an application to the commonwealth. At the same time, it has become very clear, as a result of the discussions I have had with Hon Vince Catania and others, that there is a serious feed deficit in the area, and the area is severely affected by unique climatic conditions. As a result of that, I am reviewing the data that we have analysed to bring us to the conclusions that we have so far that the objective conditions have not been met. I will be seeking new information, and, indeed, I am contemplating going to the Nullarbor during the winter break, because I understand that sometimes, notwithstanding that the objective conditions have stood up to a reasonable test in the past as being relatively accurately descriptive of exceptional circumstances, there can be occasions when conditions in the field tell us an entirely different story. It is those conditions in the field that I want to look at. I have asked the department to report to me on those conditions, and the reports I have had from the department are that, frankly, things could not get a lot worse. Therefore, I intend to have a look, and provided my observations indicate that the conditions are as they have been described, I will consider making an application, notwithstanding the objective conditions.
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