‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TRANSCRIPT

KENNY

Drought stricken farmers in regional Victoria and SA are at breaking point as those parts of the country experienced the driest 24-month period on record. The seat of Mallee in far north-west Victoria is one of the areas in the grips of this crisis, and that's where The Nationals MP Anne Webster joins us from, live from her office in Mildura tonight. Good to talk to you, Anne. As a South Australian, I've been aware of this for some time. It's taken a while to hit the national attention, but it's essentially all of SA hit by this drought and especially Western Victoria and Southern NSW - give us a sense of just how bad the situation is.

WEBSTER

Thanks Chris for having me. It is bad and it's getting worse obviously while we don't have rain particularly in our neck of the woods down south in western Victoria and in South Australia. And look, talking to farmers who have been farmers for a long, long time, they are really feeling the pain and it's particularly the livestock farmers…

KENNY

Yeah

WEBSTER

… because not being able to feed your sheep and not being able to feed your dairy herd is a massive weight on their shoulders. And we know that hay has been difficult to get. The prices have gone through the roof. And so, for a farmer to be able to access hay, it can cost $20,000 a week and grain $47,000 a month, so that all adds up and is an enormous burden to the farmers down in my neck of the woods, but also, of course, across in SA. It's actually why I was really pleased, Chris, to meet with the Rapid Relief Team today in Mildura. Twenty-seven B doubles it's such a joyous sight. 27 B doubles full of hay coming from Bathurst area in NSW, where they've had really good years and trade, coming through Mildura on their way down to Jamestown in SA. Look. I can't tell you just how fantastic that is and the humanity - just that heart of humanity that people have to help in a time of need. So, you know, all credit to those guys, the farmers, the truckies, those who provided the hay. It's just amazing.

KENNY

You were out there with them, Anne. These are farmers who have actually got some feed. They've been able to cut some hay and they're giving up their time and effort to go and help out to strangers.

WEBSTER

Absolutely, isn't it the best of Australia in time of need and time of crisis and at the time of emergency people reach out, so, you know, it doesn't let the government off the hook, obviously. What the government is providing is not enough. And David Littleproud has been really clear and I've echoed his words many times that the Regional Investment Corporation fund ought to be interest free for the next two years, interest-only for three after that and principal-and-interest for five after that, it's exactly what we put in place as a Coalition in 2020 and we're calling on the government to match that deal because farmers are desperately needing a break.

KENNY

Yeah. Look, I tell you what now - not to downplay the situation anywhere - but the mid north of SA and even north-western Victoria where you are, in southern NSW, you can get hit by drought - you know, some of that country’s rather marginal, but the South East of South Australia, the Adelaide Hills, these are normally places that get really regular rains. They're normally places where they're actually growing hay and able to help out the people in hard times. I know, as you say, initially it was the expense of getting hay in for farmers, then it was just being able to get the hay. There's just not enough around. Is there enough feed around this country to get into these areas or are we going to start losing stock in big numbers?

WEBSTER

Well, I know that some farmers are trying to get some of their stock into abattoirs and there's a queue. That's not a good sign and I know that farmers in WA are bringing hay across and of course, NSW. The good news is - and it's always good to bring out some good news in difficult times like this - is that the South Australian government have waived the biosecurity inspection costs, if you like, for the truckers as they're bringing the hay through. Their biosecurity is still taking place, but they're waiving the fee. That's a really good thing. I'd really like to see the Victorian Government do the same thing. And you know, as a nation, we have enough food. It's just getting it to where it needs to be. So, help needs to continue to be on its way.

KENNY

I love your work, being involved heavily in all of this and we can see the emotion as you talk about it. Let's keep in touch and make sure that no one forgets this issue. Thanks for joining us.

Anne Webster there, who's the Shadow Minister for regional development. She's the Nationals MP based out of Mildura, covering NW Victoria there. You see the emotion, the tears in her eye, just seeing the generosity and mateship displayed by farmers and their families in better parts of the country just at the moment, helping out their mates. It's great to see.

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