FARMERS say the Palaszczuk government is attempting to subvert the forward-looking $5 billion Future Drought Fund to score cheap political points.
AgForce chief executive officer Michael Guerin described Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's attack as a new low.
The heavy criticism comes after Ms Palaszczuk issued a media release on Wednesday demanding the Federal Government immediately release part of the $5b set aside for the Future Drought Fund to provide emergency drought support.
The Future Drought Fund is designed to provide $100 million a year in initiatives that enhance the drought resilience of Australian farms and communities by becoming more prepared to respond to the impacts of drought. The investment is designed to lift the productivity and profitability of the agriculture sector and enhance the health and sustainability of Australia's farming.
"Either the premier doesn't comprehend the concept of a future fund or she is being politically mischievous at the expense of thousands of farmers across the state currently crippled by drought," Mr Guerin said.
"While measures to support drought-affected farmers and rural communities are required now - and we acknowledge the generosity of both State and Federal Governments, not to mention ordinary Australians, in this regard - it would be rash, a backwards step to undermine our ability to manage future droughts to do so.
"The Future Drought Fund is a revolutionary approach to drought management. It is a $5b investment in our children's future, with interest earnt providing money in perpetuity for drought preparedness and resilience programs at no cost to the community.
"To have this eroded by a government for their own political ends is unbelievable.
"Some of the projects the fund will realise will provide genuine environmental outcomes, such as better managing landscapes and addressing climate change.
"These projects reflect the agriculture industry's desire to play a great role in managing environment and climate, and for a government that rates its environmental credentials, it's not a good look."
Either the premier doesn't comprehend the concept of a future fund or she is being politically mischievous at the expense of thousands of farmers across the state currently crippled by drought.
- Michael Guerin, AgForce
Ms Palaszczuk said the Future Drought Fund was not scheduled to start until the middle of next year.
"Nine months is too long for Queensland farmers to wait for this Federal assistance," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"I wrote to the Prime Minister on August 21 asking for the funding to be released.
"But the funding hasn't been accelerated and the Federal Government has instead been kicking farmers off the Farm Household Allowance while they are still in drought."
Mr Guerin said the agriculture industry had been waiting for decades for a Government of any persuasion with the will and foresight to take a long-term approach to drought preparedness.
"The entire industry will be furious if the state government is allowed to touch a single dollar of that investment," he said.
"And for the premier to dress her demand up as if she is acting in the interests of droughted farmers is disingenuous at best and entirely wrong.
"Not just droughted farmers and rural communities will be negatively impacted but his, but all Australians."
Mr Guerin said governments needed to shift away from the mindset that support could only be provided during a drought.
"Prevention is almost always better than a cure," he said.
"Facilitating producers and communities to develop and implement their own programs that deliver environmental outcomes, help them survive extreme weather and build stronger, more sustainable agribusinesses is much more efficient, effective, empowering and intelligent than offering social security payments."
Mr Guerin said that instead of trying to pick holes in Federal drought initiatives, the Queensland Government needed to address its own failures including adequately investing in water infrastructure.
