Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, we do have wines, but we also have apples and cherries and strawberries. We also have a significant dairy industry that needs to be nurtured.

The disbursements will be made in accordance with yet to be published grant guidelines and consistent with amendments moved by the former member for Indi in the last parliament. Detailed information around the recipients and the projects will be published on the department's website. The projects must be consistent with the Drought Resilience Funding Plan. The plan is a high-level framework designed to guide the Future Drought Fund programs, and each plan will be in place for a period of four years.

I welcome this longer-term approach to drought and emergency management. For too long environmental management has been a litany of ad hoc policy decisions, which have served only to compound the challenges facing our farmers. What we need now more than ever is a long-term vision for drought resilience, prudent environmental management and for this government to show leadership and an attempt to tackle the root causes of climate change—something on which we don't yet have consensus across this parliament, which really is quite flabbergasting. Proper, sustained and recurrent funding for community environment groups would be a good start.

I accept that the development of drought resilience funding plans may be a step in the right direction, and I take some comfort from the fact that each Drought Resilience Funding Plan will be subject to an inquiry by the Productivity Commission to determine the effectiveness of each plan. I believe that this review is important. In circumstances where the government has foreshadowed its intention to disburse $100 million in drought projects each financial year, this is a fundamental requirement of good governance. We must ensure that the funds are going to the right people operating the right programs in the right areas.

Finally, I would like to thank the former member for Indi, Ms Cathy McGowan, for her amendments in the last bill, which then became part of the body of this bill. I'd also like to acknowledge the goodwill of government for including the amendments of the former member for Indi into this bill. I must say, when I reflect on her time in this place, she viewed every decision in this place through a regional lens of good governance and transparency in the parliament. The amendments being incorporated into this bill certainly go to the heart of accountable and transparent government and are reflective of the former member's sustained efforts to advance the interests of regional and rural communities across Australia. Thank you.

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