Struggling farmers have been delivered a 55-million-dollar drought support package from the state government including boosts to infrastructure grants, mental health support and future resilience. Producers have welcomed the funds but are still waiting patiently for more rain.
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00:00The Premier knows he can't fix this farmer's dry soil, as he suffers through one of the
00:07driest years on record.
00:10They know that the government can't make it rain, but that doesn't mean the government
00:13can't make a difference.
00:14The difference coming in the form of $55 million for much needed drought relief for parts of
00:20the state where farmers have faced dry dams, major crop loss and been forced to hand feed
00:26stock.
00:27It does rain, it won't rain money, but it will mean that we can get on with our lives,
00:31we can sow our next crop and we can grow some feed for livestock.
00:35Among the funding there's an additional $13 million to infrastructure grants, $4 million
00:40for charities to donate fodder for livestock, $3.5 million to support small businesses,
00:46$17 million for future drought resilience and $2.5 million for mental health services.
00:52This package is designed to provide various levels of support so that we can look after
00:57our very important farming families.
00:59The new funds are in addition to $18 million announced in November last year, and with
01:05concerns money was taking too long to hit the pockets of those in need, the Premier has
01:10promised a quicker 30 day turnaround.
01:12I think it's been wrong that it hasn't been done more aggressively in terms of timelines
01:17in the past and we're seeking to rectify that.
01:19Well let's see if that actually happens, but we want to see this money get out of the door
01:23as soon as possible.
01:24After months of dealing with the drought, producers here in the South East have welcomed
01:28the funding, but want to better prepare themselves for a long term future with less rain.
01:33They say greater investment is needed to install more feed troughs, larger water tanks and improved
01:39water systems.
01:40$5,000 or $10,000 or $20,000 isn't going to be the difference between a farmer staying
01:45on the land or not if they've had a couple of successive bad years.
01:49The continuing hope for rain to keep food on the table.
01:52Startp Missation
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