Questions directed to the Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence in late May by our local member Cindy McLeish MP pertaining to the lack of drought support for Mansfield farmers have finally been addressed.
On May 28, Ms McLeish queried the shire’s lack of inclusion in the state government’s drought support package.
“The Murrindindi and Mansfield shires are suffering from drought conditions,” she said.
“There has been hardly any rain, which means paddocks are bare, dams are empty and hay supplies are diminished.
“Record numbers of cattle are being sold through the Yea saleyards as farmers are forced to sell their stock as drought conditions worsen.”
Ms McLeish stipulated that both regions’ farmers needed help and asked the minister to explain the reasoning behind the exclusion despite the electorate being in worse drought conditions than other locations receiving it.
“Funding assistance is urgently needed for farmers in my district, and as you can appreciate, these terrible conditions take an enormous toll on their mental health,” she said.
Last week, Ms Spence addressed Ms McLeish’s concerns and acknowledged the very challenging conditions facing farmers across the state, with some areas of Victoria now recording significant rainfall deficiencies extending back to winter 2023.
“The lack of rainfall this autumn has compounded the hardship faced by farm businesses, with many facing significant and difficult decisions around destocking, securing fodder and managing depleted on-farm water supplies,” she said.
“Agriculture Victoria staff are now engaging farmers across the state to understand issues and connect farmers to available support options.
“The Premier’s Drought Response Taskforce has also listened directly to farmers and regional communities across Victoria to ensure they receive the support they need through these tough times.”
However despite acknowledging hardship statewide and professing to listen to regional communities across Victoria, farmers in the region and across the North East in general still do not have full access to the variety of support services and packages made available.
Recent announcements investing an additional $75 million to help farmers through the drought bring the government’s total support package to $144 million.
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) said the additional $75m in Victorian Government drought support funding is a step in the right direction as parts of the state continue to face record drought conditions.
VFF President Brett Hosking said the continued support is sorely needed and testament to the sustained advocacy from VFF, farmers and the wider regional community.
“You can’t overstate how devastating this drought has been to our regional communities and the only certainty we know is the recovery will take years.”
“Genuine support is what’s needed and this announcement is a step in the right direction,” Mr Hosking said.
However the funding injection will have little impact in the shire.
Mansfield and Murrindindi are not one of the 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to receive Primary Producer Support Payments with the 40 per cent council rate reduction limited to south-west Victoria.
Support for household expenses delivered through the Country Women’s Association with payments of up to $1,000 available to struggling families are also only available to primary producers in these eligible south-west LGAs.
Investments in water infrastructure upgrades and the development the Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy are also initiatives targeting the south-west.
Nor will additional funding supporting small businesses through the appointment of a Small Business Financial Counsellor or the extension of the South West Regional Drought Coordinator role to enable collaboration across agencies and organisations, benefit any of our primary producers.
The release of the Victorian Drought Freight Network to allow freight road trains of up to 84 tonnes to transport the critical grain and fodder to Victorian farms is also targeted at those in need in the south-west.
While all necessary measures for those doing it hard in those LGAs, there are growing calls that more needs to be done locally.
“It is incredibly disappointing yet not surprising in the slightest that the minister failed to even mention farmers in Mansfield and Murrindindi Shires in her response to my queries,” said Ms McLeish.
“Our farmers still need help.
"They are still experiencing drought conditions.
"Yet the state government are still ignoring their calls.”
Targeted waivers of biosecurity duties and relief from regulatory fees and charges have been welcomed as part of the state government’s drought response.
As to has the streamlining of processes and waiving off fees through Agriculture Victoria to ensure fodder can enter Victoria more efficiently without compromising strict biosecurity controls.
With kangaroo populations increasing across northern Victoria, the investment of $1.8 million to fast-track the assessment of lethal and non-lethal control permits for kangaroos and support farmers with a rebate to engage a commercial shooter will go some of the way to addressing the concern.
Technical and decision-making support for Victorian farm businesses right across the state and the statewide rollout of the ‘Look Over the Farm Gate’ mental health and wellbeing program are all commendable initiatives, but with local farmers looking for practical, on-the-ground assistance Ms McLeish wants packages extended to include more LGAs.
And while the retitled Farm Drought Support Grants (formerly the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants) program now provides every primary producer in the state with access to $5,000 to support on-farm drought management improvements, Ms McLeish questions the immediate benefit of these improvements on a state already in drought.
“Farmers need help with feed and transport, not improving on ground infrastructure at this point,” Ms McLeish said.
For farmers in south-west Victoria, the package also provides an additional $5,000 for On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants taking the total grant on offer to $10,000 for farmers.
This increase is only available to farmers in the 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the lower half of West Wimmera LGA who have had access to this program since September 2024.
Eligible activities under this grant program now include water carting and pasture re-establishment, which Ms McLeish believes should be available to all those struggling under current drought conditions.
“The city-centric government has no idea about the struggles our farmers are facing," she said.
"Talk is cheap.
"We need action and real support from the state government for our local farmers.”
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, reiterated Ms McLeish's sentiment saying the government’s announcement falls far short of what’s needed, and even further short of what was recommended by its own expert panel.
“Labor’s own Drought Taskforce made it crystal clear: 100 per cent rate relief is what’s needed to help farmers survive this crisis,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Yet the state government ignored that advice and decided farmers should be content with just 40 per cent off their rates."
Ms Cleeland said that while some regions have received patchy rainfall, the crisis is far from over.
“A few days of rain doesn’t undo the damage caused by months of drought,” she said.
“Feed is still desperately needed, and the costs are crippling.
"Farmers need real support, not hollow gestures and watered down policies.”
Ms Cleeland also slammed the decision to merely pause, rather than cancel, the Emergency Services Property Tax for farmers.
“Labor’s 12-month pause on the Emergency Services Tax is a token move that helps some, but continues to punish others,” she said.
“This tax should be scrapped altogether.
"It’s unfair, it’s poorly targeted, and it’s clearly not delivering for those on the frontline.
“This is just another example of a government that doesn’t understand or respect the realities of life on the land,” she said.