Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

This drought is biting hard right across New South Wales, Queensland and many other parts of Australia. It's hitting the communities of the Central West of New South Wales especially hard. Our farmers, as you know, Mr Deputy Speaker McVeigh, are extraordinarily resilient, but many have been struggling with many different aspects of this drought. If we want our farmers to be a key source of our national success and prosperity, as they have been, we need to support them to get through it to make sure that they are here for our nation when the rains come.

Helping our farming families and their communities has been a real focus of the government and, as part of the government's immediate and long-term drought response, we have committed nearly $6 billion, growing to $7 billion, in assistance, including additional funding and improvements to existing support. It's about $6 billion at the moment. It's going to grow to $7 billion. That is the biggest drought package in our nation's history. That's how important getting on top of this drought has been to this government. We need to support our country communities and our farmers to make sure that they can once again be the powerhouse of our economy, as they have been and as they will be again once the rains come.

Our support and assistance measures cover a range of areas. They include providing financial assistance, investing in infrastructure and in rural and regional mental health, combating pest and weed impacts, and making information easier to access. This support to our farmers is based upon preparedness, risk management and support in times of hardship. It's not dependent on where a farmer lives or whether they're in a particular industry; it's about helping all farmers, in all parts of Australia, who are affected by drought.

The Future Drought Fund will support initiatives to improve drought resilience, preparedness and recovery. The government's initial $3.9 billion up-front will provide a sustainable and ongoing source of funding for drought resilience. In time it's going to grow, and it will create a sustainable source of funding. The fund will provide grants to assist primary producers, non-government organisations and regional communities in preparing for and responding to drought. It will encourage primary producers and communities to adopt self-reliant approaches to managing exposure to drought. It will provide services and research to assist with the adoption of technology, as well as advice and infrastructure to support long-term sustainability in the event of drought. And it will enhance the public good—that is, benefits are not solely for individual farm entities.

That's just one part of this wide-ranging program. Another is the Regional Investment Corporation, which is based in Orange. I was in Wellington on the weekend, and already farmers are talking about the positive impact the RIC, as it's known to its many friends, is having in the country. The loans are being written. They're talking about the great work—

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

that is going to occur with these funds. Right around Australia farmers are starting to talk. If the member for Hunter wants to somehow dismantle it, which he says he's going to do, not only will he be ripping jobs out of country Australia but he will be ripping a valuable source of investment and drought preparedness away from farmers, because the loans have just started to be written and they're having a very positive impact out there.

The RIC received more than 340 applications for up to 32 new jobs, with 85 of those coming from the local region. If the member for Hunter wants to come into this Chamber and say, 'All of those jobs are going,' I wish his candidate for the seat of Calare all the very best. If those opposite are going to rip jobs out of all of the areas where decentralisation has occurred, I wish them all the best. To me, it's not going to be a campaign winner in country Australia, but good luck and godspeed to them.

We've also got improvements to farm household allowance. That includes cash payments, obviously. The total payment for a couple is around $37,000 and, for a single person, around $22,000. We're supporting our farmers. We're going to stand shoulder to shoulder with them through these very difficult times.

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