The State Government’s overdue drought support package, announced late last week, has overlooked impacted areas in the north of East Gippsland Shire.
Gippsland East MP, Tim Bull, raised the matter with the Agriculture Minister, Ros Spence, last Friday.
“While much of East Gippsland has fared quite well, it is incredibly dry in some of the northern areas of the electorate,” Mr Bull, who cited Omeo and Benambra regions as just one example, said.
“This package is something the Victorian Farmers Federation has called ‘well short of what is required, especially when compared with more substantial efforts in other states such as South Australia’. But to be excluded is an even bigger kick in the guts.
“I have contacted the Minister and asked for urgent consideration to have the drought impacted areas in the north of the electorate included, and while it will be considered, I eagerly await a response.
“Bigger picture, the $15.9 million package is simply not enough and is too restrictive, capped at $5000 per grant, and with strict conditions that prevent farmers from using it for the most basic and urgent needs like purchasing feed and water.
“The South Australian Labor Government, facing a similar situation, provided $73 million to its producers and on-farm support is allowed.”
Mr Bull said the hypocritical nature of this government was that on the same day it announced this, it also passed legislation that will hit farmers with a 150 per cent increase through the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy.
“Talk about give with one hand and take with the other – and on the same day, but of course this is what happens when you have a State Government that cannot manage money and has a spiralling debt that will hit $187 billion with interest repayments alone (not capital repayments) of $1 million per hour or $1 billion every six weeks.
“The $15.9 million for farmers is not even a full day of their own interest repayments on the state debt,” he said.
