Nationals Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, says she remains deeply concerned that southern NSW farmers will continue to go without the urgent drought support they need, following a visit to Gundagai by Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty.
The meeting with the Minister was attended by Ms Cooke, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Mayor Abb McAlister, and Councillor and farmer David Graham, and focused on the worsening drought conditions across the region.
"I'm always grateful when Ministers take the time to come to our part of the world. I've been seeking a meeting with Minister Moriarty for almost 3 years, and this was finally an important opportunity to speak directly about what our farmers are facing," Ms Cooke said. "However, I'm not very confident that the NSW Government will deliver the tangible, fair support our communities so urgently need and deserve."
"We again put forward the same message farmers have been giving us for almost 12 months, that they need practical, immediate support like the reintroduction of the Transport Subsidy for water, fodder, and stock movement that delivers a level playing field for all farms, regardless of size," Ms Cooke said.
Ms Cooke also used the meeting to call for a new measure; the reintroduction of the capped rebate for on-farm water infrastructure, given worsening conditions and rising concern among livestock producers.
"There's been no runoff from recent rain, and with the ground parched, farm dams are rapidly emptying and drying up. Farmers are writing to me about it every week."
"Rather than forcing them to take on additional debt, a rebate scheme would help farmers put critical on-farm water infrastructure in place, such as troughs, tanks and pipes," Ms Cooke said.
Ms Cooke said that while the Minister listened to the issues raised, she did not commit to any new measures, despite the Victoria and South Australian governments ramping up their drought support.
"The only indication we received was that the Minister would look to increase the ceiling on low-interest loans from $250,000 and tweak the criteria. That's not the answer - farmers have told us repeatedly they don't want to take on more debt, and even those who have tried to access the current scheme have been deemed ineligible, which simply isn't good enough.
"The Minister heard first-hand from local producers about what they are enduring. In the words of David Graham, the past year has been 'diabolical,' with a failed spring, tough autumn, and fluctuating temperatures that destroyed much-needed pasture growth. But whether that listening translates into action remains to be seen." Ms Cooke said.
"I would like to be confident, but I'm not. We again reiterated that the measures farmers need, such as transport subsidies and deferral of LLS rates, are not radical ideas. They're the same measures that worked during the last drought. And a producer-informed drought taskforce, as recommended by the Southern NSW Drought Summit held in August, is a no-brainer if the Minister wants firsthand information from farmers dealing with drought daily.
"Farms across the Cootamundra electorate generate around 12 per cent of NSW' agricultural economic value. Our region plays a vital role in producing world-class food for Australians, no matter where they live. The Victorian and South Australian governments have already stepped up to support their farmers, but NSW is falling behind and our communities deserve better.
"I will not pipe down until the government delivers genuine, tangible support for drought-affected communities in southern NSW and takes meaningful action to resolve issues with broombush and blue mallee coppicing, proposed land management code changes, and the resourcing of our DPI," Ms Cooke said.
