The state’s drought coordinator Pip Job will be asked to visit Lithgow by the Hartley branch of NSW Farmers, after the drought became a central focus of Lithgow City Council’s meeting last week.
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Councillors Cassandra Coleman and Maree Statham both honed in on the new position’s significance in the local government area, Cr Coleman successfully introducing a motion to request MP Paul Toole for information on how Ms Job will assist Lithgow’s farmers.
“I believe the position will be of a benefit,” Cr Coleman said.
“The reality is that farmers don’t have time or money to travel to Orange to plead their case.”
Councillor Steve Ring said the coordinator’s role was “obvious” and the motion “smelt of politics”.
Councillor Wayne McAndrew responded that the request was for specificities on how the NSW drought coordinator would assist “here, in our local LGA.”
“I haven’t seen the drought coordinator visit here,” Cr McAndrew said.
In the subsequent agenda item Cr Maree Statham proposed asking federal member Andrew Gee to lobby Agriculture Minister David Littleproud to consider freight rebates for farmers buying fodder.
“I don’t know if anyone in this room realises the severity of the cost,” she said referring to the increase in petrol prices contributing to transport costs of feed from interstate.
Mayor Stephen Lesslie instead suggested requesting Mr Gee to lobby Mr Littleproud to reinstate the Standing Council on Primary Industries.
What we're seeing is councils being a bit more creative with how they approach their structure for drought assistance. Hopefully, we can also do some out-of-the-box type of thinking
- Rachel Nicoll
“We need to re-establish the COAG [Council of Australian Governments] process so that drought is dealt with in a fully coordinated way.
“This particular motion about fodder transport, it’s just back to those old schemes. It just tries to address symptoms but does not try to address problems themselves.”
The amendment failed but was subsequently carried as a separate motion.
Cr Statham added to her recommendation that council request president of the Hartley branch of NSW Farmers Rachel Nicoll to invite the drought coordinator to Lithgow.
“To get Rachel Nicoll to invite the coordinator here in Lithgow to a farmers meeting to see what is happening to our town and our shops,” Cr Statham said.
Ms Nicoll said she would “definitely” be willing to invite the coordinator to town, but had not heard yet from council about the motion passed on Monday night.
She said she hoped the branch would be able to work with council on drought-related issues.
“I’m really pleased they (council) are thinking about us.”
Ms Nicoll said she would be approaching council about possible ways it could help farmers, such as assisting in raising awareness around livestock trying to leave properties in search of food, assisting with roadside grating or even providing at-cost water to rural properties.
“Yeah, that’s an interesting one that has just been implemented by Oberon Council, it’s something that hasn’t been done before,” she said.
“I think what we're seeing is councils being a bit more creative with how they approach their structure for drought assistance. So actively working with others as well as identifying what can assist us as opposed to processes that take 12 or 24 months to see results.
“Hopefully, we can also do some out-of-the-box type of thinking and come up with a few ideas.”
She said an upcoming Local Land Services roadshow on June 18 in Rydal would provide farmers with an opportunity to discuss and find further information on tackling the big dry.
