Published Monday, 04 December, 2006 at 01:43 PM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
BEATTIE GOVERNMENT OFFERS MORE FUNDS FOR DROUGHT ASSISTANCE
Toowoomba: Premier Peter Beattie and Deputy Premier and Treasurer Anna Bligh today announced additional State Government drought assistance measures including rebates for rural rates and for irrigators paying but not getting water allocations.
“My Government is providing up to $32.5 million over two years for additional measures to assist primary producers and small businesses affected by the worst drought in our history,” Mr Beattie said at today’s Community Cabinet in Toowoomba.
“This assistance is in addition to existing drought-related financial support to primary producers totalling more than $131 million (from 2001 to the end of the 2005-06 financial year).
“Our responses are taking into account the needs of both rural and urban communities alike.”
The new measures, included:
• A 50% rebate on 2006-07 and 2007-08 municipal rates for eligible farmers in Exceptional Circumstances Areas who are receiving Centrelink EC Relief Payments;
• A rebate of up to 100% (capped at $10,000 pa) on Part A water tariff rebates in 2006-07 and 2007-08 for supplemented rural irrigators who are receiving 20% or less of the announced allocation, with the extent of the rebate dependent on current and past water availability;
• Amendments to provide farmers with more flexibility in prescribed management practices and increase the limits on the amount of assistance that may be provided to an individual producer under the State Drought Assistance Relief Scheme; and
• As agreed at the recent water summit, an increase in the State’s 10% contribution to the Commonwealth EC Program, due to expanded eligibility criteria.
The measures also honour commitments Ms Bligh, as Acting Premier gave at the Prime Minister’s Murray Darling Drought Summit in Canberra, early last month.
At that meeting Queensland agreed to meet its share of the 10% interest costs component of the Commonwealth’s $210 million national assistance package for small businesses in exceptional circumstances affected areas.
The State at that meeting also agreed to examine other relief measures.
”Today, here on the drought-stricken Darling Downs, we can say that we have responded and also taken on board submissions of the State’s rural producer groups,” Ms Bligh said.
Attorney General and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland, Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said that the package would provide real assistance for producers, especially those not getting water allocations because of the drought.
At present there are 71 shires and four part shires drought declared.
Mr Shine said.
At present, around 57% of Queensland is Exceptional Circumstances declared, with the majority of the 20 EC declarations being recently extended by the Commonwealth due to the severity of the current drought.
4 December, 2006
Media contact: Office of the Premier (07) 3224 4500
Office of the Deputy Premier – Steve Keating 0408 720 081
“My Government is providing up to $32.5 million over two years for additional measures to assist primary producers and small businesses affected by the worst drought in our history,” Mr Beattie said at today’s Community Cabinet in Toowoomba.
“This assistance is in addition to existing drought-related financial support to primary producers totalling more than $131 million (from 2001 to the end of the 2005-06 financial year).
“Our responses are taking into account the needs of both rural and urban communities alike.”
The new measures, included:
• A 50% rebate on 2006-07 and 2007-08 municipal rates for eligible farmers in Exceptional Circumstances Areas who are receiving Centrelink EC Relief Payments;
• A rebate of up to 100% (capped at $10,000 pa) on Part A water tariff rebates in 2006-07 and 2007-08 for supplemented rural irrigators who are receiving 20% or less of the announced allocation, with the extent of the rebate dependent on current and past water availability;
• Amendments to provide farmers with more flexibility in prescribed management practices and increase the limits on the amount of assistance that may be provided to an individual producer under the State Drought Assistance Relief Scheme; and
• As agreed at the recent water summit, an increase in the State’s 10% contribution to the Commonwealth EC Program, due to expanded eligibility criteria.
The measures also honour commitments Ms Bligh, as Acting Premier gave at the Prime Minister’s Murray Darling Drought Summit in Canberra, early last month.
At that meeting Queensland agreed to meet its share of the 10% interest costs component of the Commonwealth’s $210 million national assistance package for small businesses in exceptional circumstances affected areas.
The State at that meeting also agreed to examine other relief measures.
”Today, here on the drought-stricken Darling Downs, we can say that we have responded and also taken on board submissions of the State’s rural producer groups,” Ms Bligh said.
Attorney General and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland, Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said that the package would provide real assistance for producers, especially those not getting water allocations because of the drought.
At present there are 71 shires and four part shires drought declared.
Mr Shine said.
At present, around 57% of Queensland is Exceptional Circumstances declared, with the majority of the 20 EC declarations being recently extended by the Commonwealth due to the severity of the current drought.
4 December, 2006
Media contact: Office of the Premier (07) 3224 4500
Office of the Deputy Premier – Steve Keating 0408 720 081