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Advice accepted on western NSW Exceptional Circumstances regions

21 May 2009
DAFF09/254B

The Government has accepted independent advice that Exceptional Circumstances (EC) assistance should not be extended for ten regions in western NSW.

EC assistance expired for nine regions on 31 March 2009 and for another region on 30 April 2009.

However, assistance will continue unchanged for three areas which were extended in February 2009.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said he had asked the National Rural Advisory Council (NRAC) to review all ten regions following requests from the NSW Government.

The NRAC found that while seasonal conditions had been variable, there had been a general improvement across the regions.

The council reaffirmed its earlier recommendation from February that the ‘majority of producers in the majority of the areas’ are in a sustained recovery.

The Government has accepted the NRAC’s advice that Exceptional Circumstances assistance should not be extended for:

  • Central Mudgee-Merriwa
  • Central North-North West Coonamble Revision
  • Bundarra district of the Central North-North West Northern Slopes Revision area
  • Central Tablelands area
  • Dubbo area (excluding parts which were extended in February 2009)
  • Molong area (excluding parts which were extended in February 2009)
  • Mudgee-Merriwa area
  • Northern New England area
  • Nyngan area (excluding parts which were extended in February 2009)
  • Walgett-Coonamble

Assistance will continue for three areas which were extended in February 2009:

  • Dubbo revised area (for producers south of the Mitchell Highway and west of the Newell Highway, including Cathundral, Dubbo, Fairview, Myall, Narromine and Trangie)
  • Molong revised area (for producers west of the Newell Highway, including Alextown, Peak Hill and Yethera)
  • Nyngan revised area (for producers west of the Bogan River and south of the Mitchell Highway, including Bobadah, Girilambone, Nyngan and Warrigal)

Mr Burke said the Government understood the current system was failing farmers and that work was continuing to reform the drought support system.

“One of the biggest problems with the current system is drawing a line on a map to determine which farmers are eligible for assistance – we want to change that,” Mr Burke said.

“Under the current system, we established a new Transitional Income Support measure for some farmers in areas which are no longer EC declared, to help them with daily living expenses.

“While we finalise plans for a better system for farmers, we will maintain measures such as Transitional Income Support to help some farmers in areas which are no longer EC-declared.”