VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews visited drought-affected areas in the southern Mallee to announce a $27 million drought support package for farmers doing it tough.
The Premier, along with Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford and Water Minister Lisa Neville, toured dry areas across northern Victoria on Sunday and Monday.
The tour, which covered Donald, Massey, Teddywaddy and Charlton, finished at Birchip on Monday night, where the trio announced the package at a community barbecue hosted by the Victorian Farmers’ Federation (VFF).
The drought package included a $5.8 million Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund boost for students in drought-affected regions, $1.5 million for a Drought Extension Program to help farmers make necessary on-farm decisions and $1 million to employ drought-affected farmers and farm workers on environmental projects.
“As someone who was raised in regional Victoria, I know how much rural communities are at the mercy of the weather,” Mr Andrews said.
The first time the Premier has toured the region since elected to office a year ago, Mr Andrews listened to the plight of local farmers struggling with a second consecutive drought.
Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) hosted a round-table discussion on Monday morning between the Premier, his Ministers and local farmers, business people and Buloke Shire Council representatives.
According to BCG board chair Caroline Welsh, the discussions centred on ways to support growers and communities impacted by extreme climate events, specifically around decision-making and preparedness.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (November 18).
