Media Release

KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter today said that farmers had once again been left high and dry by the Federal Government after funding allocated to the Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate (EWIR) had run dry with no warning to farmers who had outlaid moneys in the expectation that rebates would be forthcoming.

The Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate (EWIR) was offered to primary producers in drought affected areas enabling farmers to build infrastructure to supply water for emergency animal welfare needs. Under the scheme 50% of their costs would be reimbursed by State Governments and 25% by the Federal Government.

But after the Federal Government’s allocated funds ran out in January this year farmers have been told there is no more money in the coffers and many who spent money have been left short.

Mr Katter said today that this was another example of the Federal Government’s unwillingness to properly address the drought catastrophe affecting not only Queensland but much of inland Australia.

“The Minister’s got to realise that you can’t raise expectations and not fulfil them, people will get very agro if you do that.

“We were pleased with the little bit of money that came through under this program, but I can’t say thank you as there was no substance to it.

“It was about political image rather than significant or even substantive assistance.

“What’s worse is people have now been left high and dry as a result of the State and Federal Governments’ inadequate management of the program.

“People were told to apply for the rebates, to spend money on water infrastructure, with no warning that the coffers were about to run dry,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter said that many of the payments rejected by the Federal Government were insignificant by Government standards but made a huge difference to the bottom line of farmers who were already struggling to survive. He called on the Federal Government to immediately extend the allocation of funding to cover those who have been left short.

But he said that Governments also needed to do much more to address the drought crisis.

“Every station property has to be given 150 hectares of freehold irrigation land.

“It costs the Government nothing and in the much longer term it will address the perennial problem of drought.

“And I say perennial as we have a climatic drought just about every year as well as the current predicted El Nino weather patterns,” Mr Katter said.