Alan Jones breaks down on live TV over farmers’ drought struggle
Alan Jones, who grew up on a dairy farm, broken down on live TV as he tried to say that his father would have been ashamed of him if he didn’t fight for the desperate drought-ravaged farmers.
NSW
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Broadcaster Alan Jones broke down in tears on live television on Tuesday night while “fighting” for hope-starved farmers.
Jones, who grew up on a dairy farm in southeast Queensland, choked-up and called for a break as he tried to say that his father would have been ashamed of him if he didn’t fight for the desperate farmers.
His comments came in a week where farmers called into his 2GB radio show in tears and broken by the drought.
During his tribute last night, Jones said Prime Minister Scott Morrison “just didn’t understand”
“I begged him to provide fodder water and freight so farmers wouldn’t have to send their breeding stock to slaughter,” he said.
“Ten minutes later, William, a farmer from up near Gunnedah, rang in and started to cry.
“His family had been in farming for 70 years, he is sending 90 breeders to the sale yard in Gunnedah today.
“We will fight, because I have been exactly where the people of Bourke are.
“My old man would be ashamed of me if I didn’t fight, I can’t speak for Canberra … take a break.”
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Earlier in the day on 2GB Jones asked Mr Morrison to deliver feed to struggling farmers.
“They can’t survive today, I’m not talking about long-term viability,” Jones said.
“What can you do today by way of a cash injection to individual farmers to enable them to keep their breeding stock and not send a thing to the sale yard for slaughter?”
Morrison reiterated his previous answer about programs paid for with the $318.5 million of funding including farm house hold allowance, counselling services and support with weeds while an exasperated Jones continued to yell: “How does that feed a cow?”
Mr Morrison was then forced to admit during Question Time than none of the $5 billion drought fund would go to farmers.
“The drought fund, the Future Drought Fund, is not to provide direct financial assistance payment to farmers, it’s there to provide direct support for water resilience projects, to fund for the future,” he said.
The drought fund will begin as a $3.9 billion fund and expand to $5 billion by 2028-29.