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States in plea on drought aid
19 May 2004
Australia's agriculture ministers will meet today, with the states likely to push federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss to relax rules on access to drought assistance. Issues such as live exports and proposed changes to quarantine regulations will also be discussed.
The Federal Government has declared about 62 per cent of the nation's agricultural land to be in drought, making those areas eligible for Exceptional Circumstances relief. But recent dry conditions may mean that percentage will soon rise.
NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said he will ask for an automatic rollover for EC relief, rather than making farmers re-apply every two years.
The National Farmers' Federation said farmers want an inter-governmental agreement on drought relief. NFF's Farm Business and Economics Committee chairman, Charles Burke, said the time has come to stop talking about problems and start dealing with solutions.
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