Australia: ‘It is very confusing’: new drought working group to coordinate assistance to farmers
By Sarah Martin
Agriculture ministers have agreed to establish a new drought working group to better coordinate the country’s assistance to farmers, amid criticism that the current system is too confusing.
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The new working group, a partnership between the new National Drought Agency and the National Farmers’ Federation, has been asked to “get rid of inefficiencies and doubling up to improve access for affected farms and communities to recovery programs.”
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It also follows remarks from the federal government’s new drought coordinator, former Northern Territory chief minister Shane Stone, who refused to be drawn into the debate over climate change’s impact on the drought, saying he was acting as a “public servant” and his opinion was not relevant.
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Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, [David Littleproud, federal drought minister] called on the states to radically increase their drought funding, calling for council rate concessions, payroll tax relief and concessions on electricity prices.
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