STATE FUNDS FULL TIME DROUGHT RELIEF OFFICER
Published Wednesday, 01 November, 2006 at 09:14 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Queensland farmers struggling through one of the worst droughts in history are set to receive a helping hand with the appointment of a full-time drought relief coordinator.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the Queensland Farmers Federation had received $111 600 from the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program’s Drought Relief Initiative to appoint a dedicated project officer to manage drought assistance programs.
The Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and the former Department of Employment and Training have committed more than $877 037 to drought relief projects since 2003.
“Many parts of Queensland are suffering one of the most severe and extended droughts in living memory,” Mr Mickel said.
“A significant portion of the state is drought declared and there are great concerns about the health of rural economies and labour markets in this environment.
“The drought coordinator will work with rural communities to increase awareness of available government programs and to assist rural workers to remain in the local community.”
Queensland Farmers Federation Chief Executive Officer John Cherry said the funding would allow the Federation to increase activities aimed at easing Queensland’s drought burden.
“The assistance of the Queensland Government means we can reach more people in need of support and information,” Mr Cherry said.
“The project officer will help educate employers and policy makers on cost-effective pathways for rural workers to remain in their local community and keep jobs that might otherwise have disappeared in the face of drought-borne hardship.
“There will also be a focus on identifying areas where farm businesses are suffering extreme stress levels and unmanageable debt and working to access Government assistance programs to help farmers survive through this devastating drought.
“The drought coordinator will then work with local industry bodies and support services to respond to the identified needs of coping with drought for these regions.”
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative and its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle have helped create more than 113 000 jobs across Queensland since October 1998.
The initiative is part of the $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan, which aims to meet the skill needs of the booming Queensland economy into the future.
Ministerial media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
Queensland Farmers Federation: John Cherry on 3837 4747, fax: 3236 4100 or john@qff.org.au
1 November, 2006
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the Queensland Farmers Federation had received $111 600 from the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program’s Drought Relief Initiative to appoint a dedicated project officer to manage drought assistance programs.
The Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and the former Department of Employment and Training have committed more than $877 037 to drought relief projects since 2003.
“Many parts of Queensland are suffering one of the most severe and extended droughts in living memory,” Mr Mickel said.
“A significant portion of the state is drought declared and there are great concerns about the health of rural economies and labour markets in this environment.
“The drought coordinator will work with rural communities to increase awareness of available government programs and to assist rural workers to remain in the local community.”
Queensland Farmers Federation Chief Executive Officer John Cherry said the funding would allow the Federation to increase activities aimed at easing Queensland’s drought burden.
“The assistance of the Queensland Government means we can reach more people in need of support and information,” Mr Cherry said.
“The project officer will help educate employers and policy makers on cost-effective pathways for rural workers to remain in their local community and keep jobs that might otherwise have disappeared in the face of drought-borne hardship.
“There will also be a focus on identifying areas where farm businesses are suffering extreme stress levels and unmanageable debt and working to access Government assistance programs to help farmers survive through this devastating drought.
“The drought coordinator will then work with local industry bodies and support services to respond to the identified needs of coping with drought for these regions.”
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative and its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle have helped create more than 113 000 jobs across Queensland since October 1998.
The initiative is part of the $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan, which aims to meet the skill needs of the booming Queensland economy into the future.
Ministerial media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
Queensland Farmers Federation: John Cherry on 3837 4747, fax: 3236 4100 or john@qff.org.au
1 November, 2006