Senator Andrew Bartlett
Friday, June 03, 2005
 
Are Justifications for Drought Funding Starting to Dry Up?

The latest major drought affecting some farmers has generated a lot of political and public debate. I believe we might finally be moving towards a significant shift in public attitudes on this issue.

I made some media comments on this matter. I’ve been trying to take the general approach that helping people in need is always appropriate, but there appears to be a significant element of drought and other Government funding used to prop up farm businesses that are basically economically and/or environmentally unviable.

Similar themes were raised in other public comments on drought funding. Scientist Peter Cullen got a reasonable amount of coverage with his concerns that “there are parts that seem to be requiring drought relief about one year out of two on average, and we've probably just got to get the message that these areas shouldn't be farmed, we can't sustain farming there”. This article on Jennifer Marohasy’s blog (someone who often has a go at ‘non-scientific’ claims by environmentalists) starts with a comment that “there is much to be said for a policy of abolishing all drought relief assistance” and suggests many farmers would agree with this. One of the comments to her piece says “drought relief is simply a disbursement for climatic ignorance.” This piece by Matthew Franklin in The Courier-Mail raises some valid questions about the inconsistent political messages being sent out. This article in the Canberra Times by Andrew MacIntosh (who I should state used to be on my staff, but his views here are very much his own) also makes the case.

Many small business people have muttered to me over the years about how they would never get similar amounts of special government assistance if their business ran into trouble through no fault of their own, but there seems to be a special mystique about farmers. When discussing this topic on ABC Radio a few days ago, the Prime Minister said “rural Australia is part of the heart and soul of this country.” I don’t oppose giving extra help to rural areas when it can be shown to be a good long-term use of public money. I support significant extra funding going to rural communities for infrastructure and notions such as remote area tax zonings (promoted lately by people such as National Party Senator Barnaby Joyce) – but I think it is getting dangerous to rely on romantic or poetic notions to justify multi-billion dollars handouts to agricultural industries.

Nobody wants to be seen to be attacking farmers, let alone struggling drought-stricken farmers, but I think there is a real risk of a backlash of unconstructive ‘farmer bashing’ if there is not a significant change in the way Governments deal with the funding of agricultural industries. Open public antagonism towards farmers will not help them, their communities or the rest of us.

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Friday, June 03, 2005 Permalink
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