Farmers back drought agency

Farmers have endorsed the addition of drought policy to the agency that has been helping Queenslanders recover from floods.

North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency chairman Shane Stone.

The farming lobby has endorsed Scott Morrison’s move to add drought policy to the agency that has been helping north Queensland recover from devastating floods in February.

The Prime Minister said drought would be added to the remit of the North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency, which is led by former Northern Territory chief minister Shane Stone.

The agency, which was renamed National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency, will remain in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson said the change would help the government response to the drought.

“We have seen the success that Shane Stone has had in Queensland in terms of what he has been able to deliver,” Ms Simson said.

“It is about delivery. It is not about adding extra layers of ­bureaucracy. It is actually about making sure that the federal money can be targeted and that (Mr Stone) can establish resources out there that are actually going to hit some of the affected areas.

“We know that drought is not just about agriculture, it is about all sorts of things. It doesn’t make sense that it just resides in Agriculture. PM&C is probably a better place for it.”

Mr Morrison said the new agency would report to Water Minister David Littleproud.

”(Mr Stone will provide) nat­ional leadership and a whole of government response to support our farmers and regional communities as they respond to, recover from, the drought and the North Queensland flood earlier this year,” he said.

“I’ve got to say there have been few activities that I’ve been more proud of in our public service than the work they have done to reach out and support the regional grazing and other families affected by the droughts in north Queensland.

“It has been the public service at their best, whether it was in Townsville or across the range, the sense of confidence, encouragement and hope that was given by these amazing people working within that agency, led by Shane, has been truly inspirational.”

Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said the government was failing in its response to the drought. “What matters is action on the ground and we’ve seen a lot of committees and a lot of reviews but insufficient action on the ground,” he said.