THE Members for Lyne, Myall Lakes and Upper Hunter are calling on the state and federal governments to declare last weekend’s flooding across the region as an additional disaster event, enabling affected landholders and primary producers to access further support.
With farms and paddocks across the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions once again inundated, Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold says governments must act quickly to address the escalating impact on producers, many of whom are still recovering from earlier floods this year.
“Farmers in our region have already faced enormous challenges, and this latest flooding has hit paddocks that had only just been sown,” Ms Penfold said.
“The ground is completely sodden, crops are destroyed, and there’s a real concern about a looming fodder shortage in the months ahead.
“Together with my local state colleagues (Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell and Myall Lakes MP Tanya Thompson), we’re calling for Category D assistance – including the $10,000 Rural Landholder Grant and the $75,000 Special Disaster Relief Grant – to be made available in response to the latest flooding.
“It must be declared as a new event so affected producers can once-again access the support they need.”
The MPs are also calling for a change in how the grants are allocated, urging governments to allocate grants per property rather than per ABN, to ensure fairer access to support across affected farm holdings.
“Support must reflect the reality on the ground,” Ms Penfold said.
“Farmers with multiple properties under a single ABN are effectively penalised under the current arrangements, and that needs to change.”
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