No Australian Government can make it rain.
No Australian Government can make it stop raining.
But only the Morrison Government is making it a priority to build resilience against the inevitable droughts and floods that will visit our land.
The Morrison Government has made it a national priority to build support for drought-stricken communities and resilience against future droughts.
The Morrison Government's plan has been built on three pillars.
First, we ensured a coordinated approach by appointing a Coordinator-General for Drought, Major General Stephen Day, and the Drought Special Envoy Barnaby Joyce.
We convened a Drought Summit and developed a new National Drought Agreement ensuring a united front from Commonwealth and state and territory governments in support of farming businesses, families and communities.
Second, we ensured affected farming families and communities have the support they need. And we will continue to do so.
Third, we acted to build our nation's resilience against drought with a landmark Future Drought Fund.
A re-elected Morrison Government will:
• Invest $3.9 billion in the Future Drought Fund to prepare for future droughts. The Fund will grow to $5 billion over the next decade and enable investment of $100 million per year in water infrastructure and drought resilience.
• Continue to ensure the Farm Household Allowance is fit for purpose, making the $5 million farm assets test for Farm Household Allowance permanent.
• Create a new restocking and replanting concessional loan through the Regional Investment Corporation.
• Establish a $7 million Drought Communities Small Business Support Program.
• Provide extra support by providing $1 million each to an additional 14 local council areas experiencing severe drought through the Drought Communities Program.
Labor has no empathy for regional Australia. Labor does not appreciate the contribution that Australian farmers make to the national economy.
Labor even voted against the landmark Future Drought Fund.
Labor has no plan to support farmers and farm communities affected by drought.
Labor has no plan to strengthen the Australian farm sector's resilience to drought.
