CONTINUING to provide outlets for economic relief is vital to supporting Riverland growers and farmers through ongoing drought, according to a local MP.
Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone last month met with the Prime Minister’s Drought Liaison Shane Stone in Renmark.
Mr Whetstone said Mr Stone visited rural areas across South Australia in an attempt to see what drought policies had been “effective”.
“He’s a highly respected person who was put into the role of Prime Minister’s drought liaison midway through last year,” Mr Whetstone said.
“He’s doing factfinding around the country… speaking with councils that received the Drought Communities Funding.
“He’s looking for feedback on what’s working well, or what’s not working well throughout the country with drought, floods or fires. Obviously we’ve had all of the above over the last 12 months.”
Mr Whetstone said ongoing drought conditions through the region continued to present economic – and emotional – difficulties for Riverland primary producers.
“There are still areas of the country that are still in drought and we need to remember that,” he said.
“We’ve had rain in certain parts of the country, but the drought is ongoing for others.
“There’s an economic impact, and there’s also a mental health and wellbeing impact, so we’re making sure we plug all the gaps.”
Mr Whetstone said initiatives directing local growers and farmers toward outlets for financial support had been crucial during drought conditions.
“It was effective (funding) and I think it gave support where it was needed,” he said.
“The Rural Business Support network has been extremely successful, as has been the FabScout mentoring program.
“We put on rent rebates for pastoralists and a 50 per cent council rate rebate for farmers.
“Probably the most successful initiative was the Emergency On-Farm Water Infrastructure Fund, and that allowed farmers to clean out their dams, or put in new bores, pumps and windmills.”
Mr Whetstone said considering varying rainfall amounts across regional South Australia was necessary to developing further drought policies.
“It’s about fine-tuning the support that’s there and putting a focus on what’s working, rather than what’s not,” he said
“In South Australia, agriculture is our number one export and number one industry, and it’s important we give our farmers the support they need when they are going through a really rough time.
“We have to take it on a case-by-case basis. There’s a lot of South Australia that’s had some very welcome rain, particularly in the pasture country.
“But it’s a bit patchwork across South Australia, where there’s those with reliable rainfall and those in much more marginal country.”