Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford, visited East Gippsland on Wednesday to announce drought funding, just a fortnight after visiting farms near Bairnsdale.
Minister Pulford said $5 million of assistance was available for farmers and irrigation communities to ease the financial burden for those experiencing drought conditions.
“There has been a shift in drought policy since the millennial drought,” Minister Pulford said.
“Assistance is being given in a staged approach, and East and Central Gippsland had moved from stage one to stage two.
“There have been two failed seasons in Gippsland and that’s when we start using the ‘D-word’,” she said.
“Financial distress and community wellbeing are also factors, we can’t take those things in isolation.”
Included in the funding is $1.4 million for drought infrastructure grants, where farmers will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to $5000 for things such as stock containment; as well as $1.2 million to support a new drought employment program, giving drought-affected workers in the Wellington and East Gippsland shires the opportunity to earn off-farm income working with local Catchment Management Authorities.
Workers will carry out a range of tasks including building fences along rivers, stock control and weed management.
Ms Pulford acknowledged seasonal conditions over the next few weeks were important and would wait to see what developed.
“We will prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Ms Pulford said.
The funding package also includes $400,000 to increase the Rural Financial Counselling Service and $500,000 for a drought coordinator in Gippsland and additional coordination effort in the northern irrigation areas and north-west Victoria.
“The drought coordinator will ensure every dollar and every hour of effort contributed hits the right mark.”
