Drought financial advice service continues

Published Wednesday, 03 June, 2015 at 03:19 PM

Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister for Sport and Racing
The Honourable Bill Byrne

 

 

The Palasczcuk Government will continue to provide specialist financial counselling services to drought-hit farmers.

 

Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Bill Byrne has confirmed funding for two full-time counsellors to work with primary producers and their families in South West Queensland.

 

“These are skilled financial counselling staff whose expertise will be invaluable to graziers faced with critical decisions,” Minister Byrne said.

 

“In my discussions with farmers and their advocates in areas where the drought has destroyed normal day to day business, the case has been made that expert financial help can make a crucial difference.

 

“That is why the Palaszczuk Government is extending funding for two counsellor positions in Roma and Charleville through to the end of June 2016.

 

“Farmers in the South West are now coping with the third year of drought and the Rural Financial Counselling Service is more important than ever.

 

“Helping producers to better manage financial risks through this drought is one of many targeted contributions we are making.

 

“Funding this service is just part of the record expenditure by the Queensland Government on drought support.

 

“Tough decisions have to be made and graziers shouldn’t be making them without specialist advice.”

 

The two positions are a state-funded bolster to the Australian Government’s Rural Financial Counselling Service delivered by two not for profit organisations based in Roma and Longreach.

 

“In providing a total of $266,000 to fund the counsellors for another year we are responding to meet the demand for financial counselling from graziers in the region,” Minister Byrne said.

 

 

For information about the RFCS visit www.daf.gov.au or contact the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 13 23 25.

 

Maps of drought declared areas and boundary descriptions can be found at www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au

 

ENDS