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Wimmera hope for drought cash
17 Mar 2003
Farmers in Victoria's Wimmera region may soon be eligible for new drought assistance, following the State Minister for Agriculture's call for federal aid. Mr Cameron has applied for exceptional circumstances assistance for farmers in central, central-eastern and north-eastern Wimmera, and wants immediate interim relief to be provided while the EC applications are being processed. Mr Cameron said the Federal Government has already shown it can give interim assistance, as it did so in Victoria in December, but has since refused to give it to other areas, wanting EC applications completed first.
Further EC applications will be made for non-dairy farmers in the Goulburn irrigation area by the end of March.
The Victorian Government was criticised in February when it cut off state assistance to Goulburn Valley farmers as soon as they become eligible for federal EC aid.
The Sunday Age, 16/3/03, page 9.
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