Wednesday, 28 August 2024

 Richard RIORDAN (Polwarth) (19:04): (803) My adjournment debate this evening is for the Minister for Agriculture, and the action I seek from the minister is to come down to the electorate of Polwarth in south-west Victoria to meet with representatives from the UDV – United Dairyfarmers of Victoria – Australian Dairy Farmers and other key dairy industry groups and the broader Victorian Farmers Federation farmer cohort, who are really, really suffering at the moment with the green drought that we are experiencing in south-west Victoria. Some are saying it is the driest period for nearly 100 years – that you have got to go back over 100 years to experience the season that we are having at the moment. This season is crippling, but what is more crippling at the moment is the complete inaction from the government in recognising and putting public support behind it.

The Victorian government back in 2020 started a process called Victoria’s drought preparedness and response framework. In a country like Australia and in an agricultural environment like Australia droughts are very predictable – we know that we will have one within a 10-year period. This plan has been underway for quite some time. Disappointingly, the government met with key stakeholders in August last year for a draft report which still has not been finished. I recently received correspondence from the minister – about two weeks ago – highlighting the fact that this plan for our region, the Barwon South West and the Great South Coast, is still many weeks, if not months, away.

The drought is immediate. Stakeholders right across my region are on the phone and through my office regularly. If we were experiencing a bushfire, if we were experiencing a drought, there would be immediate and prompt government assistance. The responsible emergency services minister would be down in the region inspecting the cost and consequences of the drought. A drought not only affects the farm households and the agricultural output but has a devastating effect also on the country towns and communities. I spent much of last week touring many of the country towns in this region and will again next week. I will be down around Cobden, Timboon, Simpson and so on. These communities and the shopkeepers are really suffering. In fact, the feedback was that the drop in spending and the retraction in economic activity in these regions at the moment has not been experienced in anyone’s living memory.

There is a real crisis, and the message that a visit from the minister sends to the community is very powerful. It says that the government is with them and that the government cares. It is really, really important that the knowledge is out there. It then gives banks and others licence to take care and be aware that there is a real problem. It needs the government’s support, and I urge the minister to find the time to come to visit.