Dear Sir,
With news that drought affected farmers in Victoria’s south will receive a 40 percent rebate on their rates, it is time the Labor Government turned its attention to the North West and Southern Mallee, where farmers are facing one of the most challenging seasons in recent memory.
Our region’s farming families are under immense pressure. They are not just managing tough seasonal conditions but doing everything they can to hold on through an extremely difficult time. And yet, the silence from the State Government has been deafening.
What farmers need is not more bureaucracy or long-term strategies for future droughts. They need immediate and practical support. That means emergency financial assistance for those experiencing severe crop and stock losses, rates relief to ease the burden of rising costs, freight subsidies for fodder and water, mental health outreach to isolated farmers doing it tough, and a simplified process for accessing support that does not exclude people through dollar-for-dollar requirements.
These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They are people, families, and communities growing the food and fibre that support this state, this country, and beyond. They are resilient. They do not ask for much. But right now, they need a hand up.
Warm regards,
Jade Benham MP
