Drought
Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:34): (994) My question is for the Treasurer and Minister for Regional Development, who is also a member of the Drought Response Taskforce. Farmers suffering from devastating effects of the drought are eager to make use of the farm drought support grants and start work on projects to make their farms drought resilient into the future, but many cannot begin their projects yet because they are still waiting for in-principle approval for the state government grant applications and cannot proceed until approval is given. Minister, why is the Labor government taking so long to approve applications for farm drought support projects, and what will you do to speed up the approval process?
The PRESIDENT: So that is directed to the Minister for Regional Development?
Wendy Lovell: Yes.
David Davis: And a member of the taskforce.
The PRESIDENT: No, you do not ask questions of someone who is a member of a taskforce.
David Davis: We do.
The PRESIDENT: No. My concern is I am not going to set a precedent where someone asks a question in regard to three different responsibilities. I am just asking: which minister, or which responsibility of the minister, are you asking? Which one?
Wendy Lovell: She actually has three hats. There are three hats that apply to this question. She is the Treasurer and it is grant funding, but she is the Minister for Regional Development and she is a member of the taskforce.
The PRESIDENT: Unless you pick one, I am not going to put the question.
Wendy Lovell: Treasurer.
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:36): Ms Lovell, I will respond out of respect for farmers in relation to the drought, the impact that it is having on them and the ongoing support of this government. $144 million in direct support has been provided to date. You have referenced a grants program that is not a matter that I am responsible for. The Minister for Agriculture would be responsible for those grants. Those grants, as I understand it, are of up to around $5000 in support – $10,000 if you are in designated areas that have been significantly impacted. It is always the intention to get support to where it is most needed. In relation to the application process, that is not a matter for me. I do not have line of sight on that. You have asked the question; I am sure the Minister for Agriculture will be more than happy to provide you a response. Because you have directed it to me, I cannot take that question on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture. But as a courtesy I will pass on your question regardless.
Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:37): Treasurer, you might also pass on that I have been contacted by a constituent who applied for a drought support grant on 18 July. He has now waited almost a month and has still not heard anything about his application. He wants to extend his water system and slow the run of water through the landscape to retain more moisture in the soil. Others want to upgrade their tanks or pipes to make better use of the limited rain that has started falling and any spring break. Capturing rainwater is extremely time critical, but due to government incompetence farmers are stuck waiting months for grant approvals. Minister, these are your constituents as well as mine, so will you ask the Minister for Agriculture to stop hanging farmers out to dry by allowing the bureaucracy to go slow on processing applications for drought support grants?
The PRESIDENT: I am just a bit worried about the question – about asking another minister. I think, seeing the seriousness of the issue, I will let the minister answer as she sees fit.
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:38): Again out of respect for those that are doing it tough – I am probably outside parliamentary processes, but due to my previous experience of drought when I was Minister for Agriculture I can assure you, Ms Lovell, that Agriculture Victoria staff are so incredibly passionate about supporting farmers that they go out of their way to ensure that assistance is provided. Where there are delays, in my experience, often it can be in needing to double-check paperwork, and that can cause some small delays – not usually for the majority; usually it is just certain applications. I am not familiar with the grants program intimately this time, because I am not the responsible minister. You have raised important issues. If you have not already directed them, particularly on behalf of your constituent, straight to Minister Spence’s office, I would recommend you do that, but I will certainly alert them to your concerns.