By MATT NICHOLLS
DROUGHT assistance can’t come quickly enough as Armidale swelters through one of its driest summer periods in history.
Following a two-day tour of the region by Local Land Services drought co-ordinator Tim Johnston, it seems inevitable the State Government will soon announce drought assistant measures for the district’s farmers and graziers.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, who spent several hours with Mr Johnston yesterday and Monday, said he believed the conditions were dire enough for a drought declaration.
“His view is similar to mine that we haven’t had the summer rains that we normally get and there is nothing on the horizon,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s only going to get worse before it gets better, as we’ll having our first frosts in eight weeks and there’ll be no growth until spring if we get rain in between.”
Just 39.2 millimetres of rain has fallen this summer, making it the driest December-January period for 132 years, when 31.5mm was record in December-January of 1881-82.
Mr Marshall said he was certain Mr Johnston would put forward several recommendations to the Regional Assistance Advisory Committee, which would then be sent to Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson.
“If the recommendations are as serious as I think they will be, the State Government will move very quickly to make support available,” Mr Marshall said.
“We can’t make it rain, but there would likely be subsidies for fodder and freight to make life a little bit easier.
“Most graziers have sold off their stock and are only holding onto their top breeders, but they still need to be fed and looked after.”
Meanwhile, federal Member for New England Barnaby Joyce says he will try and flex his political muscle to push for a multi-billion dollar bail-out package for debt-crippled farmers.
“So many people can’t pay their power bills, can’t get food on the table, can’t get cattle on trucks,” Mr Joyce said.
“They’re rightly asking questions and making the point that this is a natural disaster like a bushfire or an earthquake.”
Mr Joyce, who toured drought-affected areas at the weekend, told farmers he supported their calls for a rural construction bank that would buy bad rural loans from the private sector at a discounted price.
Mr Joyce said he would ask Cabinet to also consider an expanded Farm Finance Package and financial support for fodder, water and day-to-day expenses.
“Why shouldn’t they get social security payments like everyone else that’s out of a job?” Mr Joyce said.
However, Treasurer Joe Hockey hosed down the need for extra financial support.
He reminded farmers that Australia was a “tough country” and they needed to adjust to regular “swings and roundabouts” in agriculture.
