East Gippsland and Wellington present advocacy document
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East Gippsland and Wellington shire councils have presented their joint Gippsland Drought Response Proposal – Looking Ahead – to the Victorian Government.
Joining East Gippsland Mayor Cr Natalie O’Connell and Wellington Deputy Mayor Cr Malcolm Hole in meeting with representatives of Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes and Agriculture Victoria Deputy Secretary Emily Phillips on Thursday, May 17, were East Gippsland Shire Council Chief Executive Officer Anthony Basford and East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority Chief Executive Officer and East Gippsland Drought Reference Group Chairman Graeme Dear.
The joint advocacy document, adopted on May 7, details a plan between the two councils to the Victorian and Commonwealth governments for drought assistance and recovery.
Cr O’Connell said the Looking Ahead document proposes a three-tier approach to further engagement with the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments: Transition; Recovery; and, Adaption.
“The discussion on Thursday was positive. I thank Minister Symes’ office and Ms Phillips for their time and their willingness to work with us on supporting our communities now during the drought and into the future when the drought breaks and recovery starts,” Cr O’Connell said.
“The Minister and I have had regular contact over recent months and will continue to do so to ensure our communities have access to a full range of support to assist during the drought and in recovery.
“We are also actively promoting the range of support measures available, from all three tiers of government, through our website, and at events such as the recent East Gippsland Field Days.”
Wellington Deputy Mayor Cr Malcolm Hole said the meeting with the Minister’s office was fruitful.
“Wellington Shire looks forward to continuing to work with the State Government on drought response and recovery, acknowledging that the effects of the drought spread much further than just those farming the land,” Cr Hole said.
“Both councils will meet again soon with their advisory committees to assess the looming impact of winter and post drought recovery, and make recommendations to the Minister for appropriate assistance.”
Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaclyn Symes said she was pleased to be working with shires to help farmers manage and prepare for dry conditions.
“While we can’t make it rain, we can offer support and get out and listen to farmers, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Minister Symes said.
“As well as delivering our $45 million drought support package, we are continuing to work closely with stakeholders to see where any potential further support may be required, and how we can work together to keep building resilience in our rural farming communities.”
The Victorian Government is already providing significant drought support for farmers and communities in Wellington and East Gippsland in recognition of these challenging seasonal conditions. Some of this support includes:
One-off support payments of up to $3,500 for farm businesses through the Farm Business Assistance Program On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Support Grant of up to $5,000 to help improve drought management and preparedness Grants of up to $5,000 through the Pasture Recovery and Management Grant Program Technical assistance delivered by Agriculture Victoria, which provides technical advice and delivers workshops and webinars to assist farm businesses manage dry seasonal conditions The Rural Financial Counselling Service, which provides free financial counselling to primary producers and small rural businesses who are experiencing financial hardship The On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme, in partnership with the Commonwealth Government, which provides a 25 per cent rebate up to $25,000 (GST exclusive) to eligible primary producers for the purchase and installation of on-farm water infrastructure that addresses animal welfare needs and improves resilience to drought and dry conditions.We would encourage all farmers to visit the Agriculture Victoria website or the East Gippsland Drought Assistance web page o see the large range of support available.