Drought-hit councils get extra cash aid from Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison has announced that an additional 52 drought-affected councils across the nation will receive up to $1m.

Scott Morrison attends a drought recovery meeting at the Orange City Council chambers in Orange, NSW. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison has announced an extra 52 councils across Australia will receive up to $1m as part of the government’s push to boost local economies and help families battling prolonged drought conditions.

The Prime Minister insisted on Tuesday that drought-hit communities remained a key priority when he committed a further $10m to the Drought Communities Program to help parents with non-government school fees.

“While we know the nation has been gripped in recent months by the bushfire crisis, I want all Australians impacted by drought to know that you have remained firmly in our government’s focus,” he said after the first meeting of the National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency in Orange, NSW.

“You remain at the centre of relief, response and recovery plans for the future and making Australia more resilient to these challenges in the future.”

The latest announcement involves giving $500,000 to councils of fewer than 1000 people and $1m to larger councils, with the program extended to Western Australia and the Northern Territory to support tourism and ­infrastructure projects.

Mr Morrison was flanked by National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson, who said producers were approaching a “make-or-break time” for getting moisture into soils before crucial winter crop planting. “It’s getting harder and harder and harder for people to meet their expenses, to meet their commitments,” she said.

“It’s starting to really cripple families and businesses and ­communities.”

Drought Minister David Littleproud said the big dry had “spread like a cancer” around the nation and funding was now being poured into further areas to boost tourism, create jobs and ­improve community wellbeing.

“For the first time, those shires are also being recognised for the impact this drought is having on them and their communities and we’ll continue to be agile,” he said.

“This adds to the over $8bn the federal government has committed to this drought response and we’ll continue to do more.”