As the Federal Government is promising a new $100 million support package, drought-affected communities and farmers will get an immediate cash injection. More than half of the money will go towards the Farm Household Allowance to make it more accessible. Local governments will also get money to spend on projects to support their communities.
Fresh from his tour of the United States, Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited drought-ravaged Dalby, on Queensland's Darling Downs, to pledge the money. The package includes a $33 million commitment to resuming the Drought Community Support Initiative, which provides cash-strapped farmers, contractors and families with emergency payments of up to $3,000.
That program is administered by the Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and other charities to ensure it targets those most in need. The assistance also includes $1 million payments to 13 additional local government areas to spend on water infrastructure upgrades, mental health support and other projects deemed necessary.
The LGAs to receive those funds include the Western Downs in Queensland, Temora in New South Wales, Coorong in South Australia and Swan Hill in Victoria.
Drought Minister David Littleproud said the communities had been selected because the Government had judged them to be at risk.
Abc.net.au quoted him as saying: "That's predicated off of Bureau of Meteorology data that now puts them in the drought zone.
