Hundreds more Queensland farmers to lose hardship payments despite ongoing drought

Hundreds more farmers are expected to be kicked off a special hardship allowance in coming months. There are some suggestions there will be another 500 cut off by Christmas.

HUNDREDS more farmers are expected to be kicked off hardship allowances as the drought continues, with the government standing by its four-year cap on the payment.

Queensland farmers cut off from drought allowances will be given cash payments of up to $13,000 to help them put food on the table, Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie announced yesterday.

The Australian Government owes farmers a real drought policy

Hundreds more farmers are expected to be kicked off the Farm Household Allowance after reaching its four-year limit. Picture: Max Fleet

But the Morrison Government is standing firm on the four-year limit that people can access the Farm Household Allowance.

The announcement came after The Courier-Mail last week revealed 203 Queenslanders had been kicked off the FHA after reaching the four-year limit.

There are more than 1300 Queenslanders on the allowance, a $489 a fortnight payment to help those struggling to make ends meet during the drought.

There has been $12 million budgeted for the one-off payments, meaning up to 1000 farmers are expected to join the 600 people nationally already cut off from the FHA.

Senator McKenzie yesterday announced a new “drought relief support payment” for farmers coming off the FHA, which will deliver up to $7500 for singles and $13,000 for couples.

She said there would be no conditions on how the money could be used.

“This is a one-off payment to help them in times of need, recognising thanks to the feedback of the people who live and work in regional Australia (and) that this drought has gone on for far too long,” she said.

“Anyone who has come off the (FHA) payment since the first of July this year will be eligible to apply for the payment.”

Labor’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said the one-off payment would make little difference to farmers.

“What was announced this morning is that desperate farming families coming off the Farm Household Allowance will have an additional six months of allowance,” he said.

“We know 600 farming families have already had their payments come off. By Christmas it’s more likely to be 1100 farming families.”

Opposition Agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says another 500 farmers could be cut off from the FHA by Christmas. Picture: Gary Ramage

AgForce boss Mike Guerin said it was important that the government continue to consult with farmers and the industry on its drought response.

“There’s no silver bullet to fix this,” he said.

“We need to be supporting good practice, good planning and sustainable industries. It’s not simply a conversation about another handout.”

Senator McKenzie said the National Farmers Federation itself had called for the FHA payments to be time-limited.