Drought-stricken farmers are set to receive $5bn drought relief

Desperate farmers are a step closer to receiving ongoing funds to combat drought after Labor backed a relief bill in an 11th-hour backflip.

David Littleproud during question time. Picture: Kym Smith

Farmers are a step closer to receiving ongoing funds to combat the impact of drought after Scott Morrison’s $5 billion relief plan passed the House of Representatives on Monday night, with Labor backing the bill in an 11th-hour backflip.

After Labor spent more than four hours using parliamentary tactics to scupper the legislation, Anthony Albanese revealed at 9pm that Labor would not oppose ­future drought fund.

“We won’t oppose this legislation because we support the drought funding,” the Opposition Leader told the House of Representatives. The bill passed the lower house at 9.35pm. The government expects it to be debated in the Senate today.

Mr Albanese’s team moved motions throughout the evening in an attempt to prevent a final vote on the $3.9bn future drought fund, which is forecast to grow to $5bn within a decade.

Mr Albanese wanted the vote delayed in order for Labor to finalise its position at today’s caucus meeting.

“What we have seen with this extraordinary action by the government is (that it is) attempting to play politics, not just on the policy outcomes, but now on the procedures as well,” Mr Albanese said.

The proposed future drought fund is due to begin releasing $100 million a year from next July, but Labor was wary of the shake-up because the new fund will replace the Building Australia Fund.

Water Resources Minister David Littleproud argued the vote could not be delayed another day, noting Labor voted against the legislation in the last parliament.

He said there would need to be six weeks of talks with regional communities to ensure the money was well spent when the fund ­became active.

“This is about ensuring this is the long-term and sustainable ­approach to drought support in this country,” Mr Littleproud said.

“This is about ensuring we get this right. But we have to get it done by July 2020.

“While we may pass it in this place, we will then have to move it to the Senate. And we are unaware of how long it will take us to negotiate that through the passage of the Senate.

“This is something that, unfortunately, the track record of those opposite is not great (on) because, in October last year they voted against this bill.

“So why would we not want to put this in train straight away?”

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke warned the government there would be ret­ribution because a vote was forced before caucus met.

He said the opposition and cross­bench had no time to examine the bill, which had been amended since it was last put to a vote in parliament.

“Given that this motion will make no difference to the timing at all of drought assistance, consider deeply whether or not we believe that it should become standard practice in this place for legislation to be rushed through without being read,” he said. “Because that is what is about to happen.

“If the government decides proper process in this house no longer matters, then don’t come to the opposition asking us to assist with proper process.”

The proposed fund will release $100m a year for projects to help rural communities prepare for drought. It will also support investment in infrastructure, research and ­innovation, as well as improved techniques in management of the environment.

Speaking in question time, the Prime Minister attacked ­Mr Albanese for failing to quickly support the bill. “Why won’t you support farmers going through the drought?” Mr Morrison said.