Drought

CURRENT DROUGHT SUPPORT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

EC (Exceptional Circumstances) assistance has been extended for another year for -

  • the North West Rangelands (more details available at)

          http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/ec/south_australia/north_west_rangelands

             and

  • Central North East (more details available at)

          http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-       food/drought/ec/south_australia/central_northeast  

EC assistance also remains available for -

  • the Murray Mallee (more details available at)

          http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/ec/south_australia/murray-mallee  

          and

  • the River Murray and Lower Lakes Corridor (more details available at)

http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/ec/south_australia/murray_river_corridor  

Because of the lobbying from the SAFF, the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has now referred the submissions to the National Rural Advisory Council for those other areas that are still drought affected - particularly Eastern Eyre Peninsula and Upper North cropping regions, and an area around Ceduna.  A decision is expect shortly.

While the State Government's drought package has been heavily scaled back, SAFF has been able to lobby for some parts to continue.

EC exit grants still available

EC Exit Grants are still available to farmers, even if they are no longer in an EC-declared area.  The grant is a one-off payment, of up to $150,000, to eligible farmers who sell their farm enterprise and exit the agricultural industry.  The EC Exit Grant guidelines allow farmers who are no longer in an EC declared area to apply as long as they were in EC declared area on, or after, 25 September 2007.   For more information contact the Centrelink Drought Assistance line on 13 23 16.

Drought bus

Centrelink's drought bus is currently touring South Australia.  It will be in the following places during June: June 1 - Loxton, June 2 - Swan Reach, June 3 - Tailem Bend, June 4 - Milang, June 7 - Mount Compass, June 8 -Kingscote, June 9 - Parndana, and June 10 - Penneshaw.  This is the first time there has been both Tax Office and Centrelink Financial Information Service Officers on the bus.

For more details

http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/ec/south_australia or http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/pirsa/drought