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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tony Abbott begins 'listening' tour of drought-hit farming areas | Tony Abbott begins 'listening' tour of drought-hit farming areas |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tony Abbott has embarked on the first leg of a two-day “listening tour” of drought-hit areas in western NSW and Queensland. | Tony Abbott has embarked on the first leg of a two-day “listening tour” of drought-hit areas in western NSW and Queensland. |
| The | The |
| prime minister, along with agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, visited a | prime minister, along with agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, visited a |
| 40,000-hectratre family near Bourke on Sunday morning. | 40,000-hectratre family near Bourke on Sunday morning. |
| Phil | Phil |
| Ridge, who runs the farm alongside his wife Di, said that farmers | Ridge, who runs the farm alongside his wife Di, said that farmers |
| needed money to help deal with the effects of drought, citing rural | needed money to help deal with the effects of drought, citing rural |
| debt, weed and pest control and education allowances as challenges the | debt, weed and pest control and education allowances as challenges the |
| government needs to address. | government needs to address. |
| According | According |
| to AAP, Ridge’s farm received only 120mm of rain in 2013 and none this | to AAP, Ridge’s farm received only 120mm of rain in 2013 and none this |
| year, significantly down on the long-term average of 350mm of rain. The | year, significantly down on the long-term average of 350mm of rain. The |
| skies did open during Abbott’s visit, however. | skies did open during Abbott’s visit, however. |
| In a statement, Abbott said: “This hasn’t just been a dry summer, it’s been a dry couple of years. | In a statement, Abbott said: “This hasn’t just been a dry summer, it’s been a dry couple of years. |
| “I’ve | “I’ve |
| read the letters and emails that country people have sent and I want to see | read the letters and emails that country people have sent and I want to see |
| myself what’s needed to respond to this drought because the | myself what’s needed to respond to this drought because the |
| government response must be targeted, effective and not caught up in red | government response must be targeted, effective and not caught up in red |
| tape. I know more needs to be done and it will be done in a way that’s | tape. I know more needs to be done and it will be done in a way that’s |
| fair and fiscally responsible.” | fair and fiscally responsible.” |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| added the drought was “another reason why we’ve got to get rid of the | added the drought was “another reason why we’ve got to get rid of the |
| carbon tax”, in order to help bring down electricity and gas bills for | carbon tax”, in order to help bring down electricity and gas bills for |
| people in rural areas. | people in rural areas. |
| The government is considering its options for drought support, such as backing bank loans for farmers. | The government is considering its options for drought support, such as backing bank loans for farmers. |
| Abbott’s | Abbott’s |
| tour will take in Broken Hill, in NSW, and Longreach in Queensland. | tour will take in Broken Hill, in NSW, and Longreach in Queensland. |
| Some farmers in these areas have not had significant rainfall since July | Some farmers in these areas have not had significant rainfall since July |
| 2012. | 2012. |
| The | The |
| Bureau of Meteorology has forecast some rain for the Bourke area in the | Bureau of Meteorology has forecast some rain for the Bourke area in the |
| coming days, but it is not expected to be drought breaking. | coming days, but it is not expected to be drought breaking. |
| According to the bureau, | According to the bureau, |
| January rainfall was “very much below average” across north and west | January rainfall was “very much below average” across north and west |
| Queensland, through NSW to Victoria. Areas of South Australia, Western | Queensland, through NSW to Victoria. Areas of South Australia, Western |
| Australia and Tasmania have also experienced a lack of rain. | Australia and Tasmania have also experienced a lack of rain. |
| Central | Central |
| Queensland and central and northern NSW are experiencing “serious to | Queensland and central and northern NSW are experiencing “serious to |
| severe deficiencies” in rain, according to the bureau. Most of | severe deficiencies” in rain, according to the bureau. Most of |
| Queensland, NSW and South Australia have received less than 70% of the | Queensland, NSW and South Australia have received less than 70% of the |
| long-term average rainfall over the past 22 months. | long-term average rainfall over the past 22 months. |
| The | The |
| National Farmers Federation has proposed a drought relief | National Farmers Federation has proposed a drought relief |
| package, including labour wage assistance and improved social services | package, including labour wage assistance and improved social services |
| for farmers. | for farmers. |
| “It’s good to see the prime minister is coming here | |
| and listening to people in the business and hear what they have to deal | |
| with,” NFF president Brett Finlay told Guardian Australia. “We aren’t expecting him to announce | |
| anything as such, but people have said they want to see the prime | |
| minister out here. | |
| “We have 70% of | |
| Queensland and 52% of NSW in drought, some farmers don’t have any | |
| livestock left on their properties. We’ve had record high temperatures | |
| and record low rainfall. What’s different about this drought is how big | |
| it is – it covers a huge area and hundreds of communities. | |
| “We need long-term measures to deal with drought. The worst time to deal with drought is in the middle of it.” | |
| Abbott’s | Abbott’s |
| tour coincides with a pledge by US president Barack Obama to help | tour coincides with a pledge by US president Barack Obama to help |
| Californian farmers deal with a crippling drought. Obama said there was | Californian farmers deal with a crippling drought. Obama said there was |
| “no doubt” that climate change was playing a role in drought and that | “no doubt” that climate change was playing a role in drought and that |
| more needed to be done to prepare for a scenario involving reduced rain. | more needed to be done to prepare for a scenario involving reduced rain. |