Councils hit by drought to receive $1m boost

Announced as part of the federal government’s drought assistance program, the Drought Communities Program, which initially excluded SA, has been expanded to include 17 local council areas.

The funds can be used by the council to support local infrastructure and projects for communities and businesses impacted by the drought.

Acting Premier Vickie Chapman said the state government will continue to work with the Federal Government and farming industry to deliver outcomes for drought-affected regions in SA.

“Importantly, 17 South Australian council areas will now be eligible to receive funding under the expanded Drought Communities Program, which was one of our key requests going into today’s Summit,” she said.

“The South Australian Government will work with the Commonwealth to take advantage of the new measures to build resilience, such as on-farm water infrastructure and further investments in mental health support for regional communities.”

Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone said the expansion of the Drought Communities Program to support 17 regional councils is a welcome investment with the South Australian agriculture, food and wine industries generating about $22.5 billion in revenue and 52 per cent of the state’s merchandise exports.

“Our government has been working constructively with the Commonwealth as farming conditions have declined,” Mr Whetstone said.

“The impact of droughts extend beyond the farm gate and quickly turn into financial droughts for those local businesses and workers who rely on profitable farmers coming into the small towns and spending money.

“This new funding injection into droughted areas will enable councils to deliver local projects that create employment and build the resilience of communities and is a recognition of the pressures places on local government during drought.”

He said the SA government would also continue to lobby for the addition of other councils not in the list of 17, such as the District Council of Peterborough and the Outback Communities Authority.

Mr Whetstone said Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the drought summit had also taken onboard concerns of the SA agricultural industry about transport subsidies in other jurisdictions, which had distorted the fodder market to the disadvantage of local producers.

South Australian council areas eligible for Drought Communities Program funding include: