Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McMahon. It was great last week to be able to join you to see how the drought was affecting the Barkly cattlemen, who have been destocking for the last 18 months. In addition to the FHA, our government has committed over $8 billion of measures to support farmers, their families and rural and regional communities to get through the drought and to support them well into recovery. We've always sought to provide support in the here and now. That includes the Rural Financial Counselling Service, mental health services and concessional loans, and, for the first time in this package, for it to be available to regional small businesses to help them with interest costs and cash flow issues over the next two years.

Secondly, we have a range of programs for communities to keep people employed in our rural and regional communities, a drought-specific BBRF round of $200 million and 100 gigalitres of water for farmers to help them grow more fodder, which will also help northern farmers. Thirdly, it is about the future and resilience.