A Bill That Could Bring Real Relief to SA Farmers — If the Government Acts
A new Bill offering a lifeline for regional South Australia has passed the Legislative Council. While it’s a major win for farmers and regional communities, the power still lies with the Malinauskas Government to adopt the Bill and make it a reality.
The Drought Response and Recovery Coordinator Bill, put forward by Nicola Centofanti MLC, will allow the state to formally declare a drought, appoint an independent coordinator, and deliver practical support like freight subsidies, low-interest loans, and relief from government charges for those hit hardest.
While recent rainfall and tinges of green have been a welcome site in parts of the state, Centofanti emphasises “the drought is far from over”.
“There are multiple areas that have had not much, or nothing at all. And those areas that did managed to have rain, still need a lot more. There are months ahead to play out with this. Farmers shouldn’t have to wait for rain for relief,” she said.
But while the Bill has passed one house of Parliament, it now needs the Premier and his government to support it in the House of Assembly – the house that holds all the cards.
According to Centofanti, the Minister for Agriculture has already indicated that she won’t support the Bill, pointing to potential conflict with the national drought agreement. But Centofanti disagrees.
“In my opinion, this is not inconsistent with the national agreement,” she said. “States absolutely have the ability to act on a needs basis.”
“And If the minister’s concerned about national drought agreements then she should be leading to fix the system, not abandoning the declaration all together. If we can’t support the people who put food and fibre on our tables—what are we even doing here?”
She’s calling for political will – “This must go above politics and I have personally asked the Premier to work with me to get this bill through both houses to ensure our farmers can get the supports they desperately need. But let me be clear – the government controls the numbers in the house of assembly.”
With the clock ticking for farmers and their communities, Centofanti hopes the Bill will be passed before Parliament breaks for winter, with the next sitting to be held late next week.
