The Nationals Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, said after three regional meetings, Premier Jacinta Allan’s drought response taskforce might have got its solutions package “about half right”.
Mr Walsh, who was invited onto the taskforce by the Premier, said her announcement funding to the drought declared shires would see farming council rates cut as much as 40 per cent in the next billing cycle was a step in the right direction – but only a small step.
He said the cuts should have been at least 50 per cent to have some genuine impact on the bottom line of drought devastated farmers.
There will also be some extra funding for mental health and food support programs.
“I would have thought the Premier could have made sure farm rates were cut by 50 per cent – with the precedent being the millennium drought – using rates is a proportionate response and a great way to relieve financial pressures, we just haven’t gone far enough,” Mr Walsh explained.
“The overall drought package is worth $75 million – which covers the rate cuts and includes $2 million to the CWA to run food relief programs and a further $6.3 million for other fees and charges to be waived, with those details still to come,” he added.
“But the big winner here is the $15 million the government will put on the table as its share of competing the East Grampians pipeline – having the money locked in will hopefully force Canberra’s hand to come up with it share of the funding to get this valuable job done.”
Mr Walsh said the drought taskforce has also found $5.5 million to go towards emergency bores and/or access to private bores and another $3.5 million to do the Western Region Water Strategy and its potential to better droughtproof that part of the state.
He said an extra $1 million will also allow the local catchment management authority to provide 20 short-term employment options to farm staff who have been laid off by cash-strapped farmers.
“As well as putting pressure on Canberra for its share of the East Grampians pipeline the Premier has told me she will also be pushing the Federal Government hard to lower interest rates on RIC (Regional Investment Corporation) loans to affected farmers,” Mr Walsh said.
“There were a lot of tough stories for the taskforce to hear in this region and obviously there have been some tough calls made about what and how financial support can be applied,” he said.
“Long-term the pipeline, the RIC loans and the Western Region Water Strategy will have significant benefits if they all get up but as an immediate fix, I am disappointed the Premier baulked at hitting that 50 per cent mark for rate relief.”
CAPTION:
The Nationals Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, with fellow taskforce members (from left) Shane Sali, chairman of Regional Cities Victoria, and Heath Templeton, centre, representing the association livestock agents and farm services businesses at a recent meeting.
