Mr PERRETT (Gympie—LNP) (2.11 pm): As noted on my register of interests, I declare that I have a droughted property in the Gympie Regional Council area. Daily I hear from graziers and growers concerned about the future of agriculture in Queensland. They are being hammered by the government’s sheer incompetence. It is confronting that 67.4 per cent of Queensland is still in drought. This statistic symbolises thousands of farmers, their families and communities doing it tough—tough because the government does not address the issues it should, tough because of its inability to deliver a real worker incentive scheme, tough because of its complete hypocrisy surrounding drought assistance.
Growcom CEO Stephen Barnard said yesterday that there was a very worrying trend emerging in the way the Queensland government is managing its drought assistance to industry. The challenges being faced are unprecedented. Government responses should be targeted, tailored and timely. Unfortunately, all Labor delivers is more of its anti-farmer agenda, which highlights the agriculture minister’s incompetence and complete lack of understanding. To see this you need look no further than its bungled administration of the last round of federal funding. In good faith, farmers and growers applied and made investments in emergency water infrastructure, only to discover that Queensland’s funds were overspent. Labor completely mismanaged the program. Growers are no longer confident.
I welcome the federal government’s announcement of an additional $50 million for the Australian government’s on-farm water infrastructure initiative. If the minister really wants to help, he should sign up and make an equal contribution. In today’s Queensland Country Life, Queensland Farmers’ Federation CEO Dr Georgina Davis urged the government to come to the table. Instead, the minister plays politics rather than putting the money where his mouth is. This is urgent. Stephen Barnard from Growcom warned—
… Queensland growers might miss out on the national support with no signal from the Palaszczuk Government they intend on signing up to the scheme and match the investment made by the Australian Government.
AgForce Water Committee Chair Kim Bremner said—
This is all about … drought preparedness, the longer it takes for the government to effectively offer the grant, the worse off farmers are …
The minister answered a question on notice, saying that he is ‘considering the proposal’. This has been on the table for seven months. Instead of buck-passing and picking fights with Canberra, the minister should embrace real solutions. Here is an easy solution. I call on Minister Furner not just to consider it but to commit to it.
Local drought committees are meeting now to discuss the revocation or otherwise of drought declarations. I hope the minister is not delaying a decision because he is waiting on those decisions. Farmers should not be made to wait any longer for available support.