Tthe hot weather that swept across the Wimmera and Mallee last wee, capped off what had been a very difficult year, notable for its lack of rainfall.

There are times when even the best farmers, who utilise the best science, research development and technology, still cannot overcome the season that offers no rain.

While in some areas, crops are able to be cut down for hay, allowing farmers to salvage some of their costs, for the hardest hit farmers in the Birchip, Watchem, Wedderburn and Culgoa region, this wasn’t an option. 

These areas have missed out and really won’t have the opportunity to cut hay and are now on the back of a two year drought.

I am calling for a bipartisan approach to responding to conditions, which he believes could include a potential joint Federal - State pipeline project to deliver water to the farming communities around Wedderburn and a fifty percent shire rates rebate, or assistance, for families receiving Farm Household Allowance, to ease the financial pressure.

The cash flow constraints will be felt in mid-January next year, when deferred expenses come due and the income from the crops is not there to pay them. I believe that the Farm Household Allowance application process needs to be simplified so that people can access it quickly.

The Federal Government package is available now but in my opinion, it has been rather difficult to apply for and hasn’t been administered as well as it could have been. It will be very important for rural financial counsellors to be there to assist people with the paperwork because I cannot stress enough, it is vital that people do not self-assess.

The rural financial counsellors are there to help. I will be talking to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce about getting additional counsellors for drought affected regions.

Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad.