Firstly, can I thank Troy and Nette and their family, their three daughters for welcoming us onto their property here. A farm that is the fourth generation farm that has been producing benefits not just for their family, most importantly, benefit for the state of South Australia and for the entire nation. Our farmers are indispensable. Our farmers produce food, they produce wealth for our country, but at the moment they're doing it tough. Just a week ago I was in flood affected areas in Northern New South Wales and in the Hunter Valley, and today we're seeing the exact opposite here with the drought having a real impact on this farm here and throughout the region. As we drove here today, you could see the impact that it's had on so many areas. We certainly do live in Dorothea MacKellar's country, a land of drought and flooding rains, which she wrote about so long ago, about the same time that this family started this property here as well. Conditions in South Australia are particularly tough, but throughout Southern Australia as well. I want to acknowledge that farmers in Victoria, Southern New South Wales and Western Australia are also doing it really tough at the moment. And Australians who live in our cities depend upon farmers in regions such as this to provide food on the table and to make sure that they are looked after. So this is a national interest. Today I'm pleased to be joined by my Ministers Julie Collins, the Minister for Agriculture, Penny Wong, who's here as Senator for South Australia, as well as the Premier of South Australia, and Clare Scriven, the South Australian Minister for Primary Industries. Today, on top of the announcement that the Minister made last week of $36 million of additional support that was made in South Australia, we're providing additional funding to boost the Rural Financial Counselling Service. We know that at times like this it has a real impact on mental health and that is understandable. People put their heart and soul into their farms. It's not just a business, it's a way of life and they're very passionate about making a difference. They care about their properties, they care about what they do. And it can be devastating to have this long term impact that we're seeing from this drought. I want to thank the National Farmers Federation and the South Australian Primary Organisation as well for the work that they do in representing farmers and making sure that the attention of politicians, but the attention of the nation is brought towards farmers and producers here as well. This extra funding will allow the Financial Counselling Service to employ more financial counsellors, deliver more support to people on the ground. We'll also convene the 2025 National Drought Forum at Gawler here, close to here in South Australia. This is a forum that's held every two years in partnership between the Commonwealth Government and the NFF, and that plays an important role. It's an opportunity for stakeholders to come together from all around the country to discuss challenges and opportunities and build resilience. But farms such as this one, Troy and Nette, have done everything right. It's a great example of how they really are victims of our weather. They've done everything right. They've made the investments, they've made the planning to make their farms more resilient, and they're still doing it incredibly tough. So whilst we can hope for better weather conditions going forward, we also can do what we can as a government, together with the South Australian Government, but with governments right around Australia, but as a nation as well, to make sure that we provide support for farmers at this time. We're going to hear from the Premier, then the Agriculture Minister, then happy to take some questions.
PETER MALINAUSKAS, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Well, thanks very much, Prime Minister. It's great to be here with you and Penny and Julie and Clare this morning. I too want to thank Troy and Nette for having us along here today at your magnificent property. The Prime Minister is right, we are seeing some of the driest conditions we've ever known in much of our state at the moment. And the irony isn't lost in us that we've got water pouring into Lake Eyre, but in the southern parts of our state, the agricultural communities, they're doing it extremely tough indeed. We haven't just seen the dry start of the year, we've seen the driest start of any year on the back of a very dry year last year. In fact in many places it's the driest on record. So this is a culmination of a bad run for a couple of years in a row. And the fact that we still have primary production in our state, investing and doing the work they are, is a great testament to the men and women who are working the land, not just hard, but working the land in a way that is the best representation of the most advanced science we can see in any agricultural sector anywhere in the world. And Troy and Nette are very much an example of that here. Troy's probably too modest to say it himself, but he himself is a PhD and done an extraordinary amount of science that underpins the operations of this particular property. And you see this replicated everywhere throughout the state. Our primary production sector is made up of some extraordinary men and women who have studied, have made sure they've invested in the most advanced technologies, applying the best practices for the environment more broadly. But they can't help it when it doesn't rain which is why government does have a role to play. And I'm very pleased that in conjunction, particularly with the primary producers, I want to thank Caroline Rhodes and Simon Maddox for their leadership who are here. They were able to inform the calibration of our $70 plus million dollar package that we've announced to make a really big difference on the ground here in South Australia across a whole range of different areas. I won't list them all right now. But we do that not just because we value the industry, we do it because we appreciate that in times like this, these magnificent businesses and operators do deserve government support. So to have the Prime Minister here this morning with the highest office in the land paying recognition to the challenge on the ground is something that we very much appreciate. And that's on the back, of course, of Julie being here last week as well. So we thank you, Prime Minister, for today's announcement and your interest in this really important subject. It's important for our state.
JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Thanks, Premier and Prime Minister. It's terrific to be here with my colleagues Penny Wong and Clare Scriven as well, but importantly with Troy and Nette. And obviously I was here last week out on farm, on three farms indeed, talking to farmers here in South Australia. I often say, as the Agriculture Minister, we have some of the most productive and innovative farmers across the globe, some of the most sustainable with the lowest emissions - and all of that is true. And as we've heard, Troy and Nette here, like the other farmers across the country, but particularly here in South Australia and Western Victoria, have already invested in their resilience. Our Government now has provided over a billion dollars in rural and drought assistance and response to support farmers and primary producers across the country since we came to office in 2022. This announcement today is further support for farmers on the ground that is critically needed on top of, of course, what the South Australian Government and the Victorian Governments have recently announced in terms of drought assistance on the ground. We know that farmers in those drought areas have been doing it tough. We also know that farmers, whether they be in Northern New South Wales or earlier in the year in Queensland, have also had a tough time. We also know, of course, that Australia produces more food than we can eat. But of course we have interruptions to that food supply, which is why our food security strategy that we announced during the election campaign is so important for Australia. We need to look right from production through to consumer demand to have a look at our food security system in Australia and look at some of the things that can happen along that supply chain and whether or not the mitigations are possible and whether or not the mitigations are worthwhile investing in. We certainly need a food security strategy and we've seen that with our bird flu outbreaks, with our eggs, and we see it with our floods and we see it with our drought. We certainly need a food security strategy, and I'm really pleased to be part of a government that's going to be investing in a food security strategy. I'm also pleased to be here with the Prime Minister and the Premier to announce further support on the ground for farmers that desperately need it. Thanks for having me.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Jules. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: Farmers and farming bodies are now calling for immediate support. It's coming to desperate measures for many here in South Australia. They're calling for cash flow, they're calling for low and no interest loans. Why would that measure not be considered?
PRIME MINISTER: We have considered it. We're providing a billion dollars' worth of support including, for example, $539 million for the Regional Investment Corporation that provides for those loans that you speak about. We've provided $187 million for farm household allowance, that is direct financial support on top of the additional funding that we've announced today that brings to $57 million, the Rural Financial Counselling Service. From the time that we were elected, after that the following financial year to April this year, we have provided $256 million has been spent from the Future Drought Fund. We know that there will be more needed, we know that that's the case. But one of the reasons why we're here is consulting, seeing firsthand as well, and we'll continue to engage.
JOURNALIST: Is there scope to remove means testing from that rollout of loans? I understand there's a lot of asset rich farmers who still aren't able to access some of that support.
PRIME MINISTER: Look, all of these issues of course are examined over a period of time. One of the reasons why that's there, of course, is to make sure that those who are least able to provide their own support receive the support that is necessary. But we continue to engage as well and to look at all of these issues. This is an issue, tragically, which impacts Australia on a more regular basis. We are seeing more extreme weather events of different varieties as well. And it's something that governments consistently are addressing, evaluating, engaging in collaboration and discussion, including with the NFF and the primary producers of South Australia and other state based organisations as well.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can you tell me more about the Drought Forum? Where is that usually held? Is it held before in South Australia and like what it actually involves?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, I'll ask Jules to respond, but it's held every two years. It's something that's been put together, it's a relatively recent phenomenon is my understanding. But to do it every two years. Jules?
MINISTER COLLINS: Yeah, thank you, Prime Minister. It was due to be held in Mildura and we've taken a decision after talking to the NFF that we will hold it in Gawler. It will look at all of the drought plans across the country in the National Drought Agreement and look at what options are available, what is working. We have just re-signed a new National Drought Agreement out to 2029 with the states and territories. The states obviously have already announced packages like here in South Australia, $73 million. The Victorian Government now has announced two different packages in terms of immediate support. And the Drought Forum really is looking at how do we make Australia more resilient to drought? And obviously part of that is as part of our national food strategy.
JOURNALIST: Where would that actually be held and who's invited along to that forum? Who can speak at it?
MINISTER COLLINS: So it will be in August of this year. As the Prime Minister has said, they're held every two years and we'll work with the NFF in terms of the invitations and how people are invited along to the forum.
JOURNALIST: Julie, can you explain how this extra financial counselling service will roll out? Will it be means tested? And how will farmers be able to access it?
MINISTER COLLINS: So the Rural Financial Counselling Service, I announced another $800,000 last week, half of which went directly to South Australia and half to Victoria, given that they are in critical need. The other $2 million will be rolling out over two years in addition to the money that we already have due to demand and it will be done on a needs basis. So, it will be those that most need it are able to access the support when they need it.
JOURNALIST: Can you tell us what support that is?
MINISTER COLLINS: Well, it's financial counselling and it's about making sure that they can access, as the Prime Minister has said, the Regional Investment Corporation loans, concessional loans, the Farm Household Allowance. There's a bit of misconception about that and the means test. The means test now is $5.5 million of net assets. Some people think that that is gross assets and self-exclude. So there's probably a lot more people that are eligible for it that don't apply in terms of the Farm Household Allowance. And of course there's over $900 million in Farm Management Deposit Schemes here in South Australia. So people might be able to access some of the money they put aside in the good years as well. And as the Prime Minister has said, we're not ruling anything out in terms of where we go from here. We'll continue to engage with stakeholders and with the state governments in relation to what support is needed, particularly if it doesn't rain in coming weeks.
JOURNALIST: Minister, on your recent visit here to South Australia, what else did you hear from farmers? What were they telling you on the ground that they needed now?
MINISTER COLLINS: Well, they're talking about the type of support that we're announcing today for the Rural Financial Counselling support. But importantly, they've made a whole range of suggestions to us about things that they might be able to use in terms of concessional loans, in terms of the Farm Household Allowance. And we're listening to those, and we're looking at options and we're working our way through that.
JOURNALIST: Can you tell us how many people have accessed it? And how many more you expect to access it now with these changes?
MINISTER COLLINS: So there's over 870 here in South Australia that have accessed the Farm Household Allowance. Across the country, there's many more than that. But this is about really educating farmers and their accountants in terms of who's eligible, because there has been some confusion over the means test and there's some guidance now on my department's website to help people in terms of making that assessment about their actual net assets.
JOURNALIST: Are you talking about this, and links to climate change itself and how it's impacting our country? And whether you feel that you would like to bring the Opposition along around the climate change targets that you have in place?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, Australia has always had droughts, we've always had flooding rains, and that has occurred throughout our history on this great continent that we're privileged to live on. But the truth is that there are more extreme weather events and they're more intense now. Science told us that that was the case. The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out, so we need to adjust to that. It's one of the reasons why resilient programs and amelioration and mitigation and preparation is so important in dealing with that. Look, we want, I said when I was elected Prime Minister that I wanted the climate wars to end. You know, they're pretty pointless, frankly. And getting in a debate about whether, you know, any specific event is because of climate change is, in my view, a cul de sac that leads you back to the same place. The place is that climate change is real and we need to respond to it. And we need, I think, to respond to it across the board. That's why my Government has a comprehensive plan to deal with climate change. It's about mitigation, it's about resilience, but it's also about doing what we can as part of global efforts as well. That's why we want to host the Climate Change Conference, the Conference of the Parties, here in Adelaide. And we have a bid here in South Australia. We think South Australia has led the country and is one of the leaders in the world in the shift to renewable energy, and that is important. Whenever you mention climate change associated with any extreme weather events, you have some response that says, you know, what about the immediate? Well, we're concerned with the immediate. We're not being ideological about this, we're being real about this and we're here with the NFF, with the PPSA. Tell you what, the farmers that I meet know there's something going on with the weather. And, you know, we should be making sure that we continue to engage. That's why we engaged in the lead up to setting those emissions targets that were going forward. But we'll deal with immediate issues. But we'll also deal with those long term issues. We've got a responsibility. It was a privilege to meet the young girls here and you know, hopefully they'll be the fifth generation of farmers from this fantastic family here. That's what we want. That's what we want to see. We want to make sure that we look after them but we want to make sure we look after all of our kids and grandkids to come, I've got to say. And that's a responsibility that we have.
JOURNALIST: The US has demanded that Australia increases defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Is that -
PRIME MINISTER: Which one? There's been a range of things going forward. Look, what you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it. That's what my Government's doing. Investing in our capability and investing in our relationships. That's what we are doing. That's what we will continue to do. We've provided an additional $10 billion of investment into defence over the forward estimates. We're continuing to lift up, that adds up to 2.3 per cent of GDP is where defence spending will rise. What we don't do is do what the Opposition did during the election campaign where they announced an amount of money, they couldn't say where the money was coming from and they couldn't say what it was for. That makes no sense. What we need is things that defend us in real terms and that's what we'll provide. Can I just conclude by saying, as this is my first visit to this great state of South Australia since being re-elected Prime Minister. I came here over twenty times in my first term. I intend to be as regular a visitor this term as I was in the first. Just to say thank you to the voters of South Australia for returning all the Labor members who had been elected here. But also in electing Claire Clutterham to represent the electorate of Sturt. She will be a fantastic local member and I look forward to continuing to work with the Premier of South Australia who I have a great relationship with. Not just on issues of dealing with drought and dealing with things in rural communities, dealing with the regions. The work that we're doing together in Whyalla, the work that we're doing on infrastructure right throughout this state. The work that we're doing in health with the hospital system here. The schools agreement that we have in place for better and fairer funding of schools. The free TAFE that we're rolling out together to uplift the skills here in South Australia. And importantly, when it comes to defence, the investment that is here in South Australia, investment that is real, investment that's producing assets, investments that's creating jobs and investments that's upskilling the workforce here in South Australia, which will have such an important role to play in the future defence of our nation. But also an example where we're using defence as one of the ways we lift up industry policy as well and high value manufacturing. South Australia has a key role to play in advancing advanced manufacturing and creating those high value jobs here. Thanks very much.
