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Over $10 million to help with farm recovery after Victorian bushfires

15 March 2009
DAFF09/216BJ

Joint media release
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - The Hon Tony Burke MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts - The Hon Peter Garrett MP

The Rudd Government has announced a $10.8 million Bushfire Recovery Program to help farms and other landholders recover from the Victorian bushfires, including replacing burnt fencing and assisting with weed control.

The program will be funded through Caring for our Country. An initial commitment of up to $5 million was announced in February and we will now deliver at least $10 million in total.

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke announced the two-year Bushfire Recovery Program.

The funding will assist landholders, community and non-government organisations to work on fire recovery in areas affected by the Black Saturday bushfires, the West Gippsland fire in late January and the Wilsons Promontory fire in February.

Grants of between $5,000 and $100,000 will be made available, with the funds to be administered by the Victorian Government.

The $10.8 million package announced today is expected to be used for projects such as:

  • Fencing around significant vegetation, aquatic sites and state forests to keep stock out
  • Weed control programs
  • Erosion control on stream banks and around wetlands
  • Planting sterile rye grass in agricultural soils at risk of erosion
  • Care and rehabilitation of wildlife and habitat.

Mr Garrett said environmental rehabilitation work would be essential to help repair the damage caused by the fires.

“Regenerating native vegetation and re-establishing fencing and other protection for sensitive environmental areas will be essential for local biodiversity,” Mr Garrett said.

Mr Burke said farmers could face further devastating productivity losses if weeds and erosion are not controlled.

“This is part of the hard slog to repair the environmental damage and secure the future productivity of these farms, which will boost the regional economy,” Mr Burke said.

“We want to help farming families and their businesses get back on their feet as quickly as possible.”