❓ Mr. Love asks about financial assistance for farmers carting water/food and if the Premier is aware farmers are shooting sheep due to market access issues. The Premier outlines existing support programs and the establishment of a taskforce.
AnsweredQoN 225Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AGRICULTURE — DRY SEASON TASKFORCE
225. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the announcement on
Monday that the government will be standing up a Dry Season Taskforce.
(1) When will
financial assistance be available to farm businesses already carting water and
food to sustain livestock on their properties?
(2) Is the
Premier aware that some farmers are already having to shoot sheep as they have
reduced access to live export markets and limited options through domestic
markets to offload stock?
225. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the announcement on
Monday that the government will be standing up a Dry Season Taskforce.
(1) When will
financial assistance be available to farm businesses already carting water and
food to sustain livestock on their properties?
(2) Is the
Premier aware that some farmers are already having to shoot sheep as they have
reduced access to live export markets and limited options through domestic
markets to offload stock?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. Of course, this has been the driest six
months on record in Perth and the south west between October and March. We are
experiencing a particularly dry period. As a result of that, the Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development established a dry season response
team on 23 December. It emerged to support grain producers and livestock
owners. The response has now pivoted to the 2024 new season and will continue
to provide relevant information as farmers prepare for the new season. This dry
season response is extending beyond the wheatbelt, Esperance, midwest and great southern into the south west. Autumn
continues to be drier than average for much of the state, though there
has been extensive rainfall in the north and eastern rangelands.
Financial support for Western Australian
farmers to assist in the dry season response includes drought loans of up to $2
million through the commonwealth Regional Investment Corporation; the farm
household allowance program, providing farming families experiencing financial
hardship the ability to access Centrelink income support; the Australian
Taxation Office's farm management deposit scheme; and the Western Australian
government's farm debt mediation scheme, to assist farm and pastoral
businesses to resolve commercial disputes with their lenders. Recently, the
Minister for Agriculture and Food stood up a taskforce to look at assistance
and mental health support relating to these drought-like conditions. Obviously,
we are doing everything we can, working with the farming community to make sure
that they have the support they need.
thank the member for the question. Of course, this has been the driest six
months on record in Perth and the south west between October and March. We are
experiencing a particularly dry period. As a result of that, the Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development established a dry season response
team on 23 December. It emerged to support grain producers and livestock
owners. The response has now pivoted to the 2024 new season and will continue
to provide relevant information as farmers prepare for the new season. This dry
season response is extending beyond the wheatbelt, Esperance, midwest and great southern into the south west. Autumn
continues to be drier than average for much of the state, though there
has been extensive rainfall in the north and eastern rangelands.
Financial support for Western Australian
farmers to assist in the dry season response includes drought loans of up to $2
million through the commonwealth Regional Investment Corporation; the farm
household allowance program, providing farming families experiencing financial
hardship the ability to access Centrelink income support; the Australian
Taxation Office's farm management deposit scheme; and the Western Australian
government's farm debt mediation scheme, to assist farm and pastoral
businesses to resolve commercial disputes with their lenders. Recently, the
Minister for Agriculture and Food stood up a taskforce to look at assistance
and mental health support relating to these drought-like conditions. Obviously,
we are doing everything we can, working with the farming community to make sure
that they have the support they need.
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