Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Kemp, the Minister representing the Minister for Human Services. Will the minister outline the services available to help communities access drought assistance measures?

Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank my colleague Senator McGauran for that important question. We appreciate his very hard work on behalf of regional and rural Australia. We are all aware of the impact of the current drought. It is having a serious impact on communities across the country. The impact is far reaching, and the Prime Minister recently stated:

This prolonged drought is having a terrible impact on farming communities across Australia especially in the Murray-Darling Basin, and has inevitable consequences for city dwellers.

To help communities through this very difficult time, the Australian government is providing more than $2.3 billion to farmers and communities affected most by this drought. It is important that those who need this assistance get the support that they require in a timely fashion.

Centrelink, as we all know, is playing a major role in assisting farmers to access drought assistance provided by the Australian government. Centrelink delivers a number of programs on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to assist farming families. These programs for drought affected farmers include exceptional circumstances relief payments. This is an income support payment for farmers and their partners whose farm is located in an area that has been declared to be in exceptional circumstances.

On 16 October, the Prime Minister announced an extension of 18 areas and a further commitment of $350 million. Exceptional circumstances certificates enable farmers to obtain interest rate subsidies through the relevant state authorities. Farm Help provides a range of assistance measures, including up to 12 months of income support for farmers and their families whose farms are experiencing particular financial difficulties and who cannot borrow further against their assets. A re-establishment grant of up to $50,000 can be payable when an eligible farmer leaves the farming industry and undertakes not to become a farm owner or operator for a period of at least five years.

In addition to these important programs, Centrelink is also progressively introducing a new role known as the rural services officer. This is a new specialist position that will work closely with rural communities. The primary role of rural service officers will be to improve access to Centrelink’s products and services in rural Australia. This position will have a very important role in responding to the impact of the drought in rural Australia. I remind senators that Centrelink currently has two specialist rural call centres—one at Port Augusta and one at Maryborough in Queensland. The aim of the rural call centres is to provide a service that is sensitive to the needs of individuals, families and communities in rural and regional Australia. They recognise that customers living in these areas are particularly dependent on access to services through the telephone.

The Prime Minister also announced yesterday an extension of exceptional circumstances assistance of income support and interest rate subsidies for small business impacted by drought in rural areas. This small business drought assistance package will cost approximately $210 million over two years. Small business operators who are able to demonstrate that 70 per cent or more of their total income comes from farm business in exceptional circumstances declared areas will now be able to access income support and interest rate subsidies. The drought is having a severe impact on our farmers and communities across the country, and the Australian government stands ready to provide the support they need to help them through this very difficult time.