Media Release
Monday, June 16th, 2003
QDO WELCOMES interim DROUGHT SUPPORT FOR FARMing families of the WIDER burnett
The Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation (QDO), today welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to declare the Exceptional Circumstances application for the wider Burnett region a prima facie case.
QDO Chief Executive Officer Adrian Peake said the declared region covers a wide area and includes the shires of Esk, Crows Nest, Western Pine Rivers (west of Samford Road, Samford-Dayboro Road and Dayboro-Mt Mee Road); Kingaroy, Wondai, Nanango, Murgon, Rosalie (east of the Great Dividing Range), Kilkivan, Gayndah, Mundubbera, Eidsvold, Monto; Woocoo, Biggenden, Isis, Perry and Kolan.
“Primary producers in this region will now be eligible to apply for assistance under the Federal Governments’ Interim Exceptional Circumstances (EC) assistance program, while the National Rural Advisory Council fully assesses the application” Mr Peake said.
“I have just accompanied NRAC on their assessment tour of the region and there can be no doubt that the region still well and truly remains in the grip of the worst drought on record”.
Mr Peake said producers across the wider Burnett region have been battling against drought conditions for three seasons and are in a critical situation as yet another dry winter season settles in.
“Everyone needs to appreciate that this drought has been so severe for so long that even when it does break it will still take a long time for producers to fully recover. It just doesn’t just end with rain”.
Mr Peake said hundreds of man hours and a large amount of resources have gone into preparing the EC application on behalf of all producers in the Burnett and Upper Brisbane Valley regions.
“We are pleased that our efforts on this application will enable dairy farmers across the region to apply for assistance in these very difficult times”.
“The Interim drought assistance program means that farmers in the drought-affected region covered by the declaration are now eligible to apply to Centrelink for income support payments for six months and for interest rate subsidies on new loans of up to $100,000 for two years.
Mr Peake said the QDO is hopeful a quick decision will be made and full EC will be declared for the Burnett shortly.
“The QDO will be sending out information packs and applications forms to producers over the next week. To enquire about interim assistance measure producers need to contact the Centrelink National Drought Hotline on 13 23 16 or visit their local Centrelink office. To apply for assistance producers also need to obtain an “Exceptional Circumstances Certificate” from the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority. This can be done over the telephone by phoning QRAA on 1800 026 222.
The QDO is continuing to prepare EC applications for parts of Central Queensland and the Far North as well as assessing the eligibility of the Darling Downs to re-apply for EC as their current declaration period draws to a close.
Contact Details
Adrian Peake, QDO CEO, 07 3236 2955, or 0408 989 102.
Sally Nicol, QDO Media, 07 46 776 215 or 0417 758 353