Taking a closer look at the State Opposition's drought response bill

Published Jun 19, 2025, 12:50 AM

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Well, the Liberal Oppositions Response and Recovery Bill twenty twenty five past the Legislative Council yesterday, Chadow. Minister for Primary Industries and Regional South Australia, Nikola senta Fandi joins me. Now, Nicola, good morning to.

You, Good morning Graham, to you and your listeners. Thanks for having me.

Why was the bill necessary?

Well, look, Graham, we've been hearing from farmers and farming communities for months and months now that despite the Federal government's announce of a seventy three odd million dollar drought package, that that drought package simply isn't or has missed the mark and isn't getting on the ground. To be honest, Graham, you know I don't want to have put this bill forward to Parliament. I would have I would have wanted the government to ensure that this practical support is hitting the ground. But the reality is is that without things like a proper declaration of drought, without things like a coordinator and our note and we certainly welcome the government's announcement of Alex Zimmermann as a Drought Commissioner last week, and without a dedicated fund to assist in things like know and low concessional loans, reimbursement of fees and charges associated with land, new stock movement, water licensing. Really what farmers have been crying out for, and that is a hand up, not a handout, and really cash flow that is urgently needed during this severe drought to enable them to do things like pay their interest bills, purchase food for their livestock, purchase hey, purchase podder and also for payments of water cutting if required. So that is what this bill ultimately is about. And again this is something that our farmers and communities have been calling for months, and this bill is about giving structure to what, for too long I think has been an ad hoc and reactive approach to drought in South Australia. And this bill is something that the Opposition and the entire cross Bench have united around. I just want to recognize the cross Bench for their support of this bill. They absolutely understand and we've stood together to say, look, enough is enough. It's time for the government to step up and to provide the support that our regional South Australians deserve. Now we know this bill isn't perfect, no piece of legislation is, but it is a critical foundation, and there's still time to improve it. And I've written directly to the Premier and to the Minister for Primary Industries inviting them to take a multipartisan approach to this bill. You know, I'm not just open to collaboration. I'm actually actively seeking it. Our door is open. I'm really saying to them, let's work together.

Why is it Why is it so important to declare it a drought. I mean, the government knows it's a drought. The farmers now it's a drought. I know it's a drought. You know it's a drought. Why you know this declaration of a drought. What difference could that possibly make?

Well, you know, we saw recently in the Advertiser that one and two grain producers are struggling to access at finance and credits. And I think, you know, one grain producer put it that that their banks advised that if a drought declaration is made then it gives them more scope for the hardship lending. Now we know that that's not the case, you know, under the National Drought Agreement. But the reality on the ground is that by declaring it a drought, it sends a clear signal not just to all levels of government and industry, but also to those financial institutions and to the Australian Taxation Office that support is necessary and is absolutely urgent. And a draught declaration isn't about exclusion, It's about recognition. It's about recognizing the scale and severity of the crisis that is currently facing our regional communities. So, you know, we feel that a declaration you know, which is backed, which would be backed by local data and criteria, just really ensures that those who need the help most receive it.

Thank you, Santa Fandi will move on because of the primary Industry's minister joins us now Claires Gribven. How would you respond to Nicholas center Fandy, Good morning, Graham.

Look, the issue with this bill that passed the Upper House yesterday is that it creates a whole lot of extra red tape. It directly contravens the National Drought Agreement, and it adapts a policy that's being rejected around the country now more than a decade. Because what it does it doesn't dedicate any extra money to drought support. It says that we need to have a declaration and a whole lot of other red tape before any drought support can slow. So just for example, what it says is you can't release drout support until some undefined sort of declaration is made. A drought coordinators appointed, that person develops a plan, they consult on the plan, including inviting written submissions, and then it's approved by the governor. So that's a very long process before any drought support can slow. And it really does also raise the question, well, if this was adopted, does that mean that all of the drought support that we curn't be doing the seven to three million dollars which is a state package, not a federal packages that have Shadow Minister said would have to stop, because that's certainly what it appears to say in the bill. And also what it does it reintroduces lines on a map, so if you're in a declared area, then you can get assistance. If you're not in a declared area then you can't. Now this is something that's been rejected because we all know your farm's on one's father Road, my farm's on the other, and I can't. I can get support and you can't. Is ridiculous. So it really is a very very rushed and ill thought through.

You're suggesting that I keep would add red tape, but the suggestions from the opposition is that there's red tape already that is slowing up the aid getting to the farmers. Is that the case, Well, there's.

Obviously got to be a criteria for our grants. This is taxpayers money and everyone would expect that there is. When it comes to the on farm infrastructure grants, they are now being processed within thirty days that we've been able to streamline that back and that's all been able to happen without a piece of legislation that would add weeks, if not months to that process. So you know, we really can We've been working constantly with industry. The packages that we have developed first in November and then in April they are announced they've been developed with industry. This bill was not consulted that well, it was not developed with industry. As the Shadow Ministry yesterday in Parliament, you know, did she work with the peak bodies that represent farmers, all the different spectors in developing this bill and she didn't. You know, what we know she did was developed and introduced it to Parliament and then send a copy to them. We really need to be working closely with industry. Closely with farmers, and that's what the state government has been doing.

We've heard a lot from farmers saying, you know, they don't just want to hand out they would like a low interest loan, now interest loans so they can get back on their feet and do what they do best. Is that likely to happen.

So there is a federal fund that does that. It's called the Rick Loans, and I've spoken with farmers who have been able to avail themselves of that and they've found it very helpful. Now, both the Premier and myself have been advocating to the federal government that those loans should have a lower interest rate than they currently do. So they're confessional loans, but I think it's about five point two percent, So given that there's been changes in the general markets for interest, we're advocating that that should be lowered. And also the farm household allowance has a threshold in terms of the assets test of five and a half million dollars, and we're saying that really needs to be looked at and potentially increased. So where there's already mechanisms set up as there are in the federal system, we're not trying to replicate that here in the state government. What we're trying to do is feeling where some things are not addressed, and we're continuing to look at ways that we might be able to do that.

Cleis Griwin and thanks for your time. Primary Industries Minister. Well, let's speak now with Stephen McCarthy, the District Council of Remarkable. He is the mayor. Stephen, good morning to you.

Good morning.

What do you make of the Opposition's Drought Response and Recovery Bill? Do we need to declare a drought? Are you happy with what's happening in supportive farmers at the moment?

Yeah, Look, it's a complex as The short answer to that is yes, we are supportive of the bill that's been presented at this point in time. I think people that are working in this space or understand the space that this is a very difficult thing to work through and people and farmers, primary producers, etc. Are able to access current programs over time. What happens with drought as against any other emergencies such as fire and floods, etc. It's not as visually obvious at this point in time, and we finish up with the areas. I think and I understand the reference to boundaries, which is always a challenge. But we have the Upper and Far North part of our primary production areas out here at the moment that are three years in to what is devastating for their families, their businesses and their areas and communities, etc. Then we've got other areas where it's nowhere near as dramatic in duration, but the impact is similar, of course, because you knowught is drought of course, So what we don't have is the ability to recognize where there's a crisis area, which we do have in the Upper North versus those that are equally doing it as tough, but the crisis are not quite as severe. So I think through this bill, i'd be anticipating that we actually get to a point where we can have a better definition on how we actually deal with what is an emergency versus dealing with the dry season.

So what is the state of play for farmers in your region at the moment mentally and physically.

Look, mentally, people are exhausted, and I'm generalizing here. We've got some areas, amount remarkable Council area that is not as devastated as some of the others. But to our neighbors certainly surrounding us to the north and to the east. They're mentally exhausted financially, they draw out as hardened as far as they can go. Getting assistance is ad hoc. And whilst there is assistance out there, and nobody's saying to deny that it is ad hoc. Where the whim if you like, of how the volunteers who kart hay and those processes are able to get resources and the feed etc. To these areas. But it is ad hoc. And despite how wonderful that is, it's not sustainable. And so people are dealing with these inconsistencies and the build up of that over a period of time to the point where they actually doubt that there is a future.

Yes, Stephen McCarthy, our thoughts are with you. Stephen McCarthy is the Juristic District Council of remarkable mayor. Let's go over to the West Coast Susie Kenny as a farmer and author. She joins us. Now, Susie, good morning to you.

Good morning.

Now, what are you making of the opposition start response Recovery Bill? Are you happy with the level of support you're getting at the moment, what's the state of play on the West Coast.

So out here on the West Coast, we are definitely still in drought and it's a real crisis. So yeah, we are supportive of the new bill that's being proposed. And one of the things that I will just say is will while it may not be perfect, nothing's perfect at the moment. So for Minister Scriven to be able to actually be open to working with the Shadow Minister to create something that is actually going to hit the mark, hit the target and all of the funding that is in the current package to be used efficiently and effectively.

So do you think it's being tied up with red tape at the moment? Is it just the money is there? We're seventy three million dollars the state government allocated. Is it not getting to where it needs to be?

Well, absolutely it's not. I mean I don't know many people on farm household allowance out here because the parameters are so low and so tied to actually qualify for farmhousehold allowance, and then a lot of the things in the current package you can only qualify if you're on farm household allowance, the infrastructure grant, there is no cash flow, so people can't you know, they don't want to spend things like putting in a new rain would a tank or something like that if there's no cash flow that they've got to put up front in the hope that then they'll receive a subsidy to assist them. So yeah, there's just a few things I think in the long term that funding package. Yes, okay, there was, there's some areas that do assist farmers, but the crisis hasn't been addressed. And also while yes, there may be some more red tape and some more consultation with this new bill, of course, I feel like farmers have actually had direct access to Nicholas Center farm and farmers have been able to express to her directly what we need. And so often out here we feel very forgotten. We're very remote, and we're in the far west of the state. And to have someone to be able to listen to our needs and to be able to actually cut through from you know, cut through to try and contact our peak bodies and have our peak bodies advocate for us, that is another process for us. So it's when people are in crisis, we want to cut through all the processes in the best way possible to receive the help, and farmers don't actually want to be doing this. We would prefer to just get on with our job and that's feeding the state and contributing to the state economy in such a huge way.

And that, Susie, you put it so well. Thank you for your time today. It's Susie Kenny, West Coast farmer and author. With the situation generally feeling the people on the land seem to be pleased that the opposition is put forward its drought response and Recovery Bill. I think it'd be fair to say the feeling is that we want bilateral support. The farmers want bilateral support because this is an issue that's affecting the state. It shouldn't be a political football. We need to help the farmers overcome the impact of the drought, the drought that's gone on for about three years now. Five A Mornings with Graham Goodings

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