DROUGHT ASSISTANCE FUNDING FOR LOCKHART AND HILLTOPS COUNCILS
RIVERINA Nationals’ MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has vowed the Liberal and Nationals’ Government will never walk away from the regions as he announced both Lockhart and Hilltops Councils would each receive $1 million in drought relief funding through the Drought Communities Programme Extension.
The funding is part of a $1 billion extension of the Government’s existing suite of drought relief measures.
“Communities across Australia are suffering the effects of the prolonged dry spell and the Riverina and Central West is no different,” Mr McCormack said.
“This suite of measures goes to the heart of what matters to these communities. From small businesses to primary producers, we are working with communities to take the pressure off one of the worst droughts in history.
“Not only is the Government continuing to respond as the drought progresses, but we are working on measures to assist in the recovery when the rains come, which includes the Government’s billion dollar investment in water infrastructure.
“We have been listening to our regional, drought-stricken communities and we will continue to listen and respond to this drought as well as support those in need. We will not walk away from those communities, not now, not ever.”
Lockhart and Hilltops Councils in the Riverina electorate have been added to the list of eligible councils under the Drought Communities Programme (DCP) extension.
Lockhart Mayor, Councillor Rodger Schirmer, said the Council was very grateful for the $1 million funding through the Programme.
“Any funding which comes Federally is always welcome,” Cr Schirmer said.
“The Coalition has been very good for rural Australia.
“We have infrastructure backlogs and this will help council to address these demands.”
Hilltops Regional Council also received $1 million through the DCP extension. Hilltops Regional Council Mayor, Councillor Brian Ingram, said the funding would be well accepted in his community.
“The drought is really starting to bite and you can see the morale of people dropping, so any funding that enables Council to create extra employment or upgrade the gravel road network for farmers will benefit everyone in the shire,” Cr Ingram said.
On top of the extension to the Drought Communities Programme, the 128 Local Government Areas will also receive extra Roads to Recovery funding.
The next round of the popular Building Better Regions Fund will also be made available to drought-affected communities.
“This is the fourth round of this fund which is dedicated to the regions,” Mr McCormack said.
“This $200 million Building Better Regions round will be going to these drought-stricken local government areas which need it most right now.
“The Government will also be providing $138.9 million of Roads to Recovery top-up funding for the 128 eligible LGAs.”
The addition of Lockhart and Hilltops local government areas brings to nine the number of Riverina electorate councils now included in the Drought Communities Programme.
Temora Shire was added to the programme in September and before then Parkes, Forbes, Cowra, Weddin, Coolamon and Bland were included.
Those areas which have received Drought Communities Programme Extension funding also enables eligible farmers, farm workers and suppliers/contractors in each Local Government Area to apply for up to $3,000 per eligible drought-affected household through the Drought Community Support Initiative.
Farming households can receive up to $3,000 to spend in their local communities to cover urgent bills such as food, petrol and utilities, taking stress off families and boosting the local economy.
List of new measures:
• Making new and existing drought loans for farmers interest free for two years so they purchase fodder, pay for freight and pay their farm hands. Years three to five will be interest only payment and years six to 10 will be interest and principal. Current scheme is the first five years are interest only payments, and interest and principal payments for the balance of the loan term
• A new program for small businesses dependent on agriculture with loans worth up to $500,000 that can be used to pay staff, buy equipment and refinance. It follows the same new payment scheme as the Drought Loans for farmers
• $10 million to support schools facing financial hardship as a result of ongoing drought conditions, including fee concessions for boarding students
• $5 million from the Community Child Care Fund will help assist centres that are experiencing decreased demand and financial pressure due to families from drought-affected areas being unable to pay for child care
Supporting jobs and investment in local communities
• An additional $1 million for each of the 122 drought-affected councils and shires if they need it
• $1 million each for new drought-affected councils and shires including Greater Hume, Hilltops, Lockhart and Upper Lachlan in NSW, and Kangaroo Island and Tatiara in SA
• $50 million discretionary fund to support projects in Local Government Areas impacted by the drought
• Redirecting $200 million into a Building Better Regions Fund drought round to support new projects that deliver social and economic benefits to drought-affected communities
• $138.9 million additional Roads to Recovery funding in calendar year 2020 for the 128 Local Government Areas eligible for the Drought Communities Programme Extension
Long-term resilience
• 100 gigalitres of water that will be used to grow up to 120,000 tonnes of fodder as well as silage and pasture to secure supplies for the months ahead.
We have a national drought strategy and it has three important components.
• Supporting farmers in the here and now with immediate assistance, such as the $3,000 cash payments to families under the Drought Communities Support Initiative
• Supporting rural communities and businesses doing it tough in the drought with stimulus through funds such as the Drought Communities Programme and Building Better Regions Fund.
• Preparing for future droughts through measures such as the Future Drought Fund, which provides $100 million every year to invest in drought resilience projects in both good times and bad, and developing a long-term strategy.
Assistance here and now for farmers
• More than $365 million in the Farm Household Allowance, with around 12,700 families receiving the payment so far.
• $29.4 million to support mental health and wellbeing and $5 million to the Rural Financial Counselling Service
• $65.4 million to help households pay the bills with a $3,000 Drought Community Support Initiative payment
• $75 million in tax breaks to farmers
• $1 billion in interest-free and concessional loans to help farmers and agricultural reliant small businesses manage through and get back on their feet once the drought passes
Supporting rural communities
• An additional $1 million economic stimulus payment to the 122 councils to already receive funding, and a new six councils eligible to receive payments. This creates local jobs through local projects, which employ local tradies, businesses and help the community through the toughest part of the drought.
• A $50m fund to support additional councils in 2020.
• More funding through the Roads to Recovery program, which gives over $138 million to drought-affected council areas. This creates more jobs, stimulates local economies and builds better, safer roads.
• A special drought round of the Building Better Regions Fund, which provides $200 million to support drought-affected communities.
• Keeping kids at school with $10m assistance for schools in drought affected areas and $5m to ensure early learning centres hit by the drought remain financially viable.
• $15 million in grants through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal – a non for profit that harnesses government, businesses and philanthropic investments to support rural and regional Australia
• $7 million for a small business support program
Making communities more resilient to future droughts
• A $5 billion Future Drought Fund to deliver $100 million each and every year to make us more resilient to drought
• $3.5 billion to build dams, weirs and pipelines – $1.48 billion has already been committed
• $100 million through a National Water Grid Authority
• We are helping farmers help farmers by making 100GL – the equivalent of 40,000 Olympic swimming pools – available for farmers to grow cheap fodder for farmers who need it.