Southwest Victoria drought: Rates and water cartage aid plea

A plea to cut red tape and provide rates aid to farmers has been made to Victoria’s top bureaucrats.

Farmers need immediate rates aid and water cartage relief, Victoria’s top agricultural bureaucrats were told in high-level talks this week.

Meeting in Warrnambool on Monday, farm lobby and community leaders discussed the next steps in state government drought assistance with top civil servants including Agriculture Victoria executive director Dougal Purcell.

The Weekly Times understands Victorian Agriculture Minister Ros Spence will visit the drought zone this week, although it is uncertain whether Premier Jacinta Allan will also tour southwest Victoria.

Earlier this month, the Premier said she would visit the drought zone “after the budget”, which was released last week.

Moyne Shire mayor Karen Foster convened the meeting and said water cartage relief and local government assistance were two tangible areas where state government could assist.

“Put simply, the message was: our region needs cash,” Cr Foster said.

“We need to cut red tape so cash can flow into our regions. It’s not just farmers, our regions are dependent on agriculture. From the truck drivers that carry grain to our local cafes, businesses across southwest Victoria are doing it tough.

“We’re advocating to government to cut red tape and classify this drought as a disaster, because although it doesn’t have the same dramatic images as a fire or flood, this drought has been disastrous for farmers and for the community more broadly.”

Dairy Farmers Victoria president Mark Billing said rates relief would need to be coupled with local government assistance provided for by Spring Street.

“The drought is having a knock-on effect right through the rural economy. We need the state government to go further with funding, providing that assistance at a council level, so there’s rates relief for farmers while at the same time keeping the wheels of local government turning.”

A spokesman for Ms Spence said the state government was working with the Victorian Farmers Federation to develop a network that would allow heavy transport operators from NSW and South Australia to supply fodder to farms in the southwest Victoria.

“We continue to back farmers impacted by drought and dry conditions with expanded support,” the ministerial spokesman said.

“We are closely monitoring conditions across the state including liaising with farming communities and industry - if more needs to be done, we will do so.”