The state's record-breaking drought continues to bite with farmers and rural communities bearing the brunt of the crisis. That is why the NSW Nationals and Liberal Government last week announced an Emergency Drought Relief package, bringing the total funding to more than $1.8 billion across the state, to further support farmers and regional communities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Some items in the NSW Emergency Drought Relief Package:
1. On-farm measures $185 million to boost on-farm Emergency Drought Relief programs from 2018-19. This funding will help alleviate some of the immediate financial pressures facing our farmers and include: $50 million to support Local Land Services to provide one-year relief from annual rates, including general rates and rates for animal health, pest animals/pest management, meat industry, RSMP and Stock ID; $70 million to continue to rebate of transport costs for fodder, stock and water, up to a cap of $40,000 in 2019-20 per farming enterprise; $10 million to remove payment of interest charges on Farm Innovation Fund loans for next financial year; $30 million to allow WaterNSW to continue providing a rebate of fixed charges on water licences that don't receive an allocation.
2. Off-Farm Measures. A new $170 million Drought Infrastructure and Stimulus Package has been established, which will include capital investment of $15.4 million in rural and regional activities in 2019-20. A further $36 million will be directed into a support package for off-farm drought relief measures in 2019-20 to support affected communities. Expand the existing drought support package programs, including: $7.325m support for mental health measures for drought affected communities; $5m to improve skills pathways. In addition, $69.6 million has been committed to improving water security and infrastructure.
For more details about the emergency package: www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au.