Over the weekend, the Federal Government announced a $190 million package for drought-affected families.
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The package includes an extension of the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) of up to $12,000 in two lump sum payments and a relaxing of FHA assets tests to allow more farmers access to the assistance.
Farming families could now receive up to a total of $28,000 a year in assistance following the announcement of the $12,000 grants to FHA for eligible households.
Thousands more farming families would be able to access the FHA as the Australian Government has also increased the net asset threshold cap from $2.6 million to $5 million.
There will also be $5 million dedicated to the Rural Financial counselling services, $15 million to help the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal and $11.4 million in mental health support initiatives.
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Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee said the package announced on Sunday, August 5, which included support for mental health services, would be welcomed by farming families.
“I’m very pleased that the Federal Government has just announced new drought support measures,” Mr Gee said.
“In the Australian Parliament I’ve been calling for drought relief to be ramped up as conditions worsened and I’m very glad that the call has been answered.
“We’re in this for the long haul.
“I was out visiting drought affected farmers across our region last week and I’ve taken a range of further measures and suggestions back to the government in Canberra, because we’re going to need more support as the weather heats up and the outlook on the land continues to worsen.
“You’ve got to remember that when the Australian economy was in a recent slowdown, it was our farmers and agriculture which got us through. Our farmers have supported us when we needed them, and now we need to be supporting our farmers in any way we can.
“This drought is getting uglier by the day and last week farmers told me it’s so bad that that it’s now beyond anything they have experienced. Many are in unchartered territory.
“Ramping up drought relief is vitally important. We’re going to need more before this thing is through and I’ll continue to push to get it,” Mr Gee said.
Additional measures announced also include:
- An extra $5 million in the Rural Financial Counselling Service, which will provide additional support for farmers - particularly those applying for the FHA for the first time.
- $15 million to help the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal with small grants for not-for-profit community groups for locally driven targeted support.
- • $11.4 million in mental health support initiatives