120 bales of hay delivered to struggling farmers in Lismore region

More than a dozen farmers in the Lismore region have welcomed a delivery of 120 bales of hay from Rural Aid - but there’s ongoing community angst about the government response to the floods.

Flood-affected farmers in the Northern Rivers have received a welcome boost, with over 120 bales of hay distributed in Buckendoon alongside a morning tea.

The delivery was organised by Rural Aid Australia, with CEO John Warlters in attendance alongside Shadow Agriculture Minister, Mick Veitch.

Delivering aid to flood-stricken communities that continue to struggle, and farmers who are bracing for the prospect of a third consecutive La Niña event, has been a priority for Mr Warlters.

“Recovering from floods is a long, tough and sometimes lonely road,” Mr Warlters said.

“We do these events all over the country, and we see a spike in bookings for our counsellors every time we do them.”

Farmers from across the Lismore region were in attendance, with Jason Rhodes describing the assistance as a “godsend”.

Ben Hull hosted the event on his Buckendoon property, where he grows dryland rice, a crop that is more sustainable than its irrigated counterpart.

“Our problem isn’t getting the water in to irrigate, it’s getting the water off!” Mr Hull said.

Another farmer underlined how dire the situation had become, with crops being completely wiped out by the wet, so much so that hay bales are being shipped to the area from Queensland.

Pressed on government support, one farmer noted that there were significant issues with accessibility, which made getting assistance challenging.

“We need to be getting out to people’s homes and doorknocking, rather than dragging them into town to do paperwork that overwhelms them,” soybean farmer Regan Sawatzki said.

Cane farmer Tony Carusi: “Lots of the paperwork brings up a lot of the trauma that people don’t necessarily want to deal with again.”

Distribution of government funds also grated on some farmers.

“I’d like to get in a boxing ring with Peter V’landys - $800 million for football stadiums and there’s people sleeping in tents in Lismore,” said one.

Both Mr Veitch and Mr Warlters were diplomatic in discussing the government response, stressing the importance of bipartisanship in providing continuing support to affected communities.

“Government can’t prescribe a time in which people should be recovered by - people need ongoing support,” Mr Veitch said.