Gippsland farms a barren moonscape: Drought ignored by Andrews Government
EAST Gippsland’s drought-ravaged farmers have accused the Andrews Government of ignoring the worst drought in living memory, which has turned their land into a barren moonscape.
EAST Gippsland’s drought-ravaged farmers have accused the Andrews Government of ignoring the worst drought in living memory, which has turned their land into a barren moonscape.
“I don’t think (Premier) Daniel Andrews has been past Traralgon since he got back in,” Giffard farmer and Victorian Farmers Federation livestock councillor Steve Harrison said.
What’s even more frustrating for the state’s eastern farmers is the reluctance of Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes to visit their properties in the state’s hardest hit drought zone — around Giffard, Stradbroke and Briagolong.
Instead of heading to Gippsland this week Ms Symes went north into her own electorate to visit a Creighton’s Creek farming couple who have tapped into the government’s $5000 on-farm drought infrastructure grant.
In a media release titled Supporting Northern Victoria’s Farmers, Ms Symes stated “the Radford family received a grant to purchase extra water tanks that allowed them to improve their existing stock containment area”.
Mr Harrison said: “With all due respect, it may be dry up there, but they’re years in front of us, while we’re being ignored”.
Bureau of Meteorology drought maps show Central and East Gippsland, like much of NSW, has suffered two years of severe rainfall deficiencies — the usual definition of drought.
In responding to a rising tide of anger on the issue, Ms Symes agreed yesterday to head to properties around Giffard next Friday, after she got back from the world’s largest food and beverage trade show in Dubai.
Mr Harrison said state government support, put on the table in September last year, just wasn’t enough.
The VFF has repeatedly asked Ms Symes to raise the $5000 on-farm grant, deliver municipal rate subsidies and rebates on carting stock water.
But to date Ms Symes has failed to respond, simply stating: “When it comes to further supporting drought-affected farmers, nothing is off the table”.
Mr Harrison said it was a confusing message, given Treasurer Tim Pallas had ruled out rate subsidies, while Ms Symes was indicating it was still on the table.
Meanwhile Giffard farmer Dan Boland described his farm as a “moonscape”, with dust storms blowing out paddocks and piling sand up against fencelines.
“We’ve cut stock numbers in half, from 6000 (sheep) to 3000, but they’re drinking a lot because we’re feeding them as hard as we can,” Mr Boland said.
While Mr Boland has access to bore water for his sheep, others aren’t so lucky, having to cart stock water.
Giffard farmer Helen Milne is carting water from two to three times a day for her 1400 sheep.
“I was thinking of getting off-farm work, but someone has to be here all the time (to water stock),” Ms Milne said.
“I never thought it could get this bad here. We’ve spent $100,000 on feed over the past two years.”
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