Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Gillard government stood by farmers throughout the drought. It is clear, as I indicated in my first answer, that improved conditions across the country mean that the drought on the east coast is finally over. When the extension of the grant was made in May of this year, I indicated that funding of $9.6 million was to be made available. Following the May decision, updated program guidelines were made available for the financial year 2011-12, specifying that the program would be open to applicants until 30 June 2012 or until the funding was expended—because, having moved out of drought and into what you would call more reasonable conditions on the eastern seaboard, the exit grant program, which I announced in May, provided for $9.6 million and was designed to be expended. (Time expired)