Scott Morrison defends drought relief effort as criticism mounts

Scott Morrison hits back at radio broadcaster Alan Jones amid criticism of federal drought policy.

Radio broadcaster Alan Jones (left) and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Scott Morrison has launched an impassioned defence of federal drought policy as he faces increasing criticism over his government’s response, declaring there’s no “magic wand” to make it rain.

In a fiery interview with 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones on Tuesday the Prime Minister insisted he was doing everything he could to help the nation’s drought-affected regions and had committed an additional $318.5 million into helping struggling farmers as the broadcaster asked him how the additional money would feed a cow.

Mr Morrison repeatedly asked Jones to “let me finish’’ as he batted off the broadcaster’s questions about the fate of drought-hit farmers.

“Wherever you look at it, it’s meeting the immediate needs of farmers, it’s about meeting the needs in communities that are affected by the drought and then it’s investing for the longer term in the water infrastructure.”

At one point Jones’ frustration boiled over.

“Oh don’t talk to me, I’m a farmer’s son and you’re not,” he snapped.

“You say Farm Household Allowance. Now PM, come on. You go and tell Jenny that she can live on $250 a week.”

“It’s not $250 a week Alan. It’s not just that,” Mr Morrison said.

Jones retorted: “Can I ask you this. Why, if the drought response is adequate, would a farmer write to me and say this — and I don’t mean to offend, I’m just telling you what he said — ‘So you’re going to interview Morrison. Why bother? I guarantee Australia will have no more confidence in the Morrison government after your interview than before. I guarantee there’ll be no admission from Morrison that his government is seriously lacking in a number of crucial matters’.”

The Prime Minister responded: “What I’m doing is doing exactly what I told the Australian people I was going to do.”

However National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson criticised the government for lacking a comprehensive policy.

“Unfortunately, Australia remains without a national energy policy or national drought policy,” Ms Simson said.

“Australia can go no further without a strategic and sophisticated approach to drought.”

The NFF has also launched a counter-attack against animal activists and green extremists in a bid to win back public sentiment and secure support for a massive expansion of the agriculture industry.

The NFF will run a five-to-10-year campaign costing $10m to promote agriculture and its benefits to Australia. The campaign was launched on Monday with a short film designed to convey a common sense of purpose between farmers and those in cities.

City or country. We’re all pushing in the same direction. Part of the same cycle. #WeAreAusFarmers #AusAg pic.twitter.com/3EZ7vzTNz5

— National Farmers' Federation (@NationalFarmers) October 14, 2019

Pressure is growing over the drought as the latest outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology predicts a later start to the northern wet season which will likely prolong the big dry. Rainfall in Australia in the year to September was the fourth lowest on record while daytime temperatures were the highest on record.

There is little sign of an El Nino or La Nina developing in the coming months.

During the 2GB interview, Mr Morrison was played a recording in which a distressed man from regional NSW spoke of his dire situation. The Prime Minister told Jones he had since called the man to offer his support and explain his policies.

Mr Morrison said the government wanted farmers and regional communities to get through the drought, but farmers couldn’t can’t kid themselves there was a “magic wand and a magic cash splash that is going to make this thing totally solved.”

“The government, whether it’s federal, state or anyone else, we can do a lot of things to help people try and get through this. But the government cannot make it rain and the government can’t make life as it was before the drought.”