The Country Mayors Association of NSW says the government’s announcement of a Drought Plan was welcomed, but more needs to be done.
The latest NSW Drought Summary has most of central and south-western NSW, including the Deniliquin region, listed as ‘Drought Affected (intensifying)’.
CMA chair Cr Rick Firman said south-west farmers are struggling and need support with fodder and water freight costs.
“Keeping core livestock alive is a priority and simply enabling bigger debts is short on insight,” he said.
“The Government’s apparent refusal to consider extreme drought a disaster or have drought declarations for severely impacted Local Government Areas, as previously occurred, complicates how a fodder freight subsidy can be restricted to where it is critically needed,” Cr Firman said.
CMA has written to Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty and thanked the government for the recently announced expansion of its drought plan, and says it hopes the support announced is a sign of growing awareness of the drought’s impacts.
“The decision to double the Drought Ready and Resilient Fund loan amount to $500,000 and establish a new $100,000 Drought Relief Loan provides a critical financial safety net for our primary producers.
“However, it must be noted that most affected farmers and graziers are already carrying significant debt.
“The cost of transporting fodder and water remains a financial burden for landholders, and the CMA believes direct subsidies are essential to maintain livestock welfare and farm viability as local supplies diminish,” Cr Firman said.
He said the feral animal focus also needs to be broadened. Targeted funding for pigs and deer is positive but rabbit populations continue to place immense pressure on degraded pastures.
Cr Firman said the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has forecast that drought conditions in Riverina and Murray regions should ease by the end of April but those conditions are expected to move to western, central and northern NSW regions.
“We need to be constantly vigilant to ensure that responses to the drought are timely, effective and provide the support that our remote, rural and regional communities need,” he said.
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