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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/oct/17/morrison-coalition-labor-drought-farmers-politics-live
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| Drought policies developed in 'vacuum', farmers' lobby says – politics live | Drought policies developed in 'vacuum', farmers' lobby says – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Joel Fitzgibbon says the government’s response to the farm household allowance was “not good enough” describing it as “modest”, and “inadequate”. | |
| Dipping into state politics for a moment, because of the review Anthony Albanese has ordered into NSW Labor: | |
| Earlier today, Kaila Murnain tendered her resignation as General Secretary of the NSW Labor Party. | |
| The terms of the separation agreement are confidential, but consist of Ms Murnain’s basic legal entitlements. | |
| The full terms of the settlement will be reported to the next meeting of the Administrative Committee. | |
| The Party is actively considering seeking the recovery of all of its costs related to the Inquiry, including the sum payable to Ms Murnain, under its insurance policies and from its previous lawyers. | |
| A new branch secretary will not be elected until the review into the branch currently being conducted by Professor Michael Lavarch has provided its recommendations on the role of the General Secretary. | |
| Joel Fitzgibbon will hold a press conference at 10.45 today, to give Labor’s response to the government’s latest drought announcement. | |
| Speaking of Ed Husic, you might remember that yesterday’s blog included a speech he made to the federation chamber about the rise of rightwing extremism – which is exactly what Asio warned about in its public annual report, released late yesterday. | |
| Ed Husic, talking to Sky, says there is “very little modelling” done on the trade agreements but Labor will “support them, because it is the right thing to do”. | |
| He says Labor wants to keep a close eye on “what they do to jobs” but that the agreements open up markets in way they haven’t been previously. | |
| Today’s announcement also might help explain why Josh Frydenberg yesterday called the drought the “biggest call on the budget”. Obviously, as the treasurer, he knew this was coming. | Today’s announcement also might help explain why Josh Frydenberg yesterday called the drought the “biggest call on the budget”. Obviously, as the treasurer, he knew this was coming. |
| From a money point of view, it’s still not – but it is certainly the reason he has had to rework quite a few figures lately. | |
| Bridget McKenzie gets to put the release out on it: | Bridget McKenzie gets to put the release out on it: |
| Today the Australian Government introduced improvements to the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) that will help more farmers through periods of hardship. This is our next step in responding to the Independent Review of FHA which will see more than 30,000 farmers able to access this immediate support. | Today the Australian Government introduced improvements to the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) that will help more farmers through periods of hardship. This is our next step in responding to the Independent Review of FHA which will see more than 30,000 farmers able to access this immediate support. |
| Minister for Agriculture, Senator Bridget McKenzie said the changes extended farming families’ access the FHA from three years in their lifetime to four years out of every 10, recognising that farmers experience hardships, including droughts, more than once in their lives. | Minister for Agriculture, Senator Bridget McKenzie said the changes extended farming families’ access the FHA from three years in their lifetime to four years out of every 10, recognising that farmers experience hardships, including droughts, more than once in their lives. |
| “...A one-off drought relief payment of up to $13,000 for a farming family, and up to $7,500 for an individual is designed to help people determine whether they will be sustainable, should look at succession options or, in some instances choose to sell. | “...A one-off drought relief payment of up to $13,000 for a farming family, and up to $7,500 for an individual is designed to help people determine whether they will be sustainable, should look at succession options or, in some instances choose to sell. |
| “For the first time, we’ll link farm enterprises with their directly-related businesses and consider income and losses together – not just income – a big change in how Government support payments are provided to families. | “For the first time, we’ll link farm enterprises with their directly-related businesses and consider income and losses together – not just income – a big change in how Government support payments are provided to families. |
| “Our Government had already made changes to make the FHA quicker and easier to access by reducing paperwork by a third and by temporarily increasing farm assets threshold to $5 million from 1 July 2019. | “Our Government had already made changes to make the FHA quicker and easier to access by reducing paperwork by a third and by temporarily increasing farm assets threshold to $5 million from 1 July 2019. |
| “It is all part of the radical simplification of the FHA application process and key policy settings that the Prime Minister announced on 27 September.” | “It is all part of the radical simplification of the FHA application process and key policy settings that the Prime Minister announced on 27 September.” |
| These improvements include: | These improvements include: |
| a simplified assets test | a simplified assets test |
| a significant redesign of the application process and form, including allowing farming couples to apply using the same form | a significant redesign of the application process and form, including allowing farming couples to apply using the same form |
| a strengthened case management approach to better support farmers in hardship through periods of financial difficulty. | a strengthened case management approach to better support farmers in hardship through periods of financial difficulty. |
| ...The FHA has been supporting Australian farmers since July 2014. It has paid more than $365 million to around 12,700 recipients in that time. | ...The FHA has been supporting Australian farmers since July 2014. It has paid more than $365 million to around 12,700 recipients in that time. |
| David Littleproud, who had some interesting things to say about “metropolitan commentators” who were “frothing at the mouth” this morning *cough*, is now introducing those FHA changes in the chamber. | |
| Scott Morrison has announced changes to the farm household allowance – on the John Laws Sydney radio 2SM (who is not Alan Jones, you might note) show. | |
| At the end of the four years (the current time allowed for the payment, which essentially is welfare for farmers, and is paid at the same rate as Newstart) farmers will receive a lump sum payment of $7,500 for singles, and $13,000 for couples. | At the end of the four years (the current time allowed for the payment, which essentially is welfare for farmers, and is paid at the same rate as Newstart) farmers will receive a lump sum payment of $7,500 for singles, and $13,000 for couples. |
| Peter Dutton is speaking to the media and he says he feels there may be “some complacency” around security, because “thank God”, Australia has not been the scene of a major terrorist attack within its borders. | Peter Dutton is speaking to the media and he says he feels there may be “some complacency” around security, because “thank God”, Australia has not been the scene of a major terrorist attack within its borders. |
| He’s addressing Duncan Lewis’s parting call – to publicly request more money for Asio, noting that the resources were strained in the *public* report, as well as warning of a growing rightwing terrorism threat. | He’s addressing Duncan Lewis’s parting call – to publicly request more money for Asio, noting that the resources were strained in the *public* report, as well as warning of a growing rightwing terrorism threat. |
| Dutton blamed Labor for cutting Asio’s budget (Labor has not been in power since 2013) and said the government had been putting that money back. | |
| The prime minister is talking to John Laws on 2SM, but none of us can listen in, because the 2SM site is down. | The prime minister is talking to John Laws on 2SM, but none of us can listen in, because the 2SM site is down. |
| AAP on the NDIS announcement: | AAP on the NDIS announcement: |
| The next boss of the agency responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme is a former senior NSW bureaucrat. | The next boss of the agency responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme is a former senior NSW bureaucrat. |
| Martin Hoffman, who has been both a commonwealth deputy secretary and secretary of the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, will take up the job from November 4. | Martin Hoffman, who has been both a commonwealth deputy secretary and secretary of the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, will take up the job from November 4. |
| He has also held roles in the private sector, including as chief executive of Ninemsn. | He has also held roles in the private sector, including as chief executive of Ninemsn. |
| NDIS Minister Stuart Robert said Mr Hoffman has the “dedication, vision and expertise” to lead delivery of the transformational scheme. | NDIS Minister Stuart Robert said Mr Hoffman has the “dedication, vision and expertise” to lead delivery of the transformational scheme. |
| “He will build on the ground-breaking work already underway and will make a real difference in delivering on the government’s commitment to realising the full benefits of the scheme for participants,” the minister said. | “He will build on the ground-breaking work already underway and will make a real difference in delivering on the government’s commitment to realising the full benefits of the scheme for participants,” the minister said. |
| Labor had this week put pressure on the coalition to appoint a new leader for the National Disability Insurance Agency, with its previous chief executive Robert De Luca resigning in April. | Labor had this week put pressure on the coalition to appoint a new leader for the National Disability Insurance Agency, with its previous chief executive Robert De Luca resigning in April. |
| “It is literally leaderless,” opposition NDIS spokesman Bill Shorten told the lower house on Monday night. | “It is literally leaderless,” opposition NDIS spokesman Bill Shorten told the lower house on Monday night. |
| The organisation’s deputy chief executive Vicki Rundle had been acting in the top job since Mr De Luca’s resignation. | The organisation’s deputy chief executive Vicki Rundle had been acting in the top job since Mr De Luca’s resignation. |
| Mr Hoffman has been appointed for a three-year term. | Mr Hoffman has been appointed for a three-year term. |
| Labor has voted to support the Indonesian free trade agreement, at the end of its shadow caucus meeting. | Labor has voted to support the Indonesian free trade agreement, at the end of its shadow caucus meeting. |
| Jim Chalmers was asked about Josh Frydenberg’s interview on his way into parliament his morning: | Jim Chalmers was asked about Josh Frydenberg’s interview on his way into parliament his morning: |
| The weakness in the Australian economy isn’t primarily because of weakness in the global economy, it’s primarily because the Morrison government doesn’t have a plan. Too many Australians are looking for work or for more work because the economy is floundering on the Liberals’ watch. Business knows, and the community knows, that we won’t get the economic growth we need to create good jobs while the government continues to sit on its hands. | The weakness in the Australian economy isn’t primarily because of weakness in the global economy, it’s primarily because the Morrison government doesn’t have a plan. Too many Australians are looking for work or for more work because the economy is floundering on the Liberals’ watch. Business knows, and the community knows, that we won’t get the economic growth we need to create good jobs while the government continues to sit on its hands. |
| The call to parliament has sounded. | The call to parliament has sounded. |
| Huzzah. | Huzzah. |