COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
SPEECH BY
The Rt Hon. J. G. GORTON, M. P.
ON
DROUGHT RELIEF
Ministerial Statement
[ From the ' Parliamentary Debates', 26 September 1968]
Mr GORTON ( Higgins-Prime Minister)
-by leave-I recently received representations
from the Premiers of New South
Wales and Victoria requesting the continuation
of Commonwealth reimbursement of
State expenditures on drought relief measures.
The Premier of New South Wales
asked for a continuation of Commonwealth
payments for drought relief measures in the
south east corner of the State and in the
Cobar district. The Premier of Victoria
asked for the continuation of drought assistance
for financing employment grants in
Victoria. Honourable members will recall that, in
my statement of 20th August 1968 in this
iuse, I pointed out that, contrary to the
f~ imal arrangements in relation to natural
disaster relief assistance, the Commonwealth
has been meeting virtually the whole cost
of State expenditure on drought relief mea-
O sures. These arrangements have undoubtedly
been the most generous ever designed to
meet such a situation. I also announced
that, as the drought which has been affecting
most of the eastern half of the Australian
continent had virtually ended, certain
cut-off dates for this assistance had been
set. I added that, if a State felt it necessary
to continue any particular measure after
the cut-off date for Commonwealth assistance,
it would be reasonable for the State
to meet the limited expenditure likely to
be involved. At the same time, I made it
23104/ 68 clear that, if drought conditions were to
re-emerge on a large scale, the Commonwealth
would be prepared to consult with
the States regarding the need for any new
arrangements which might be necessary.
Very favourable seasonal conditions exist
in most of eastern Australia and the areas
which are still drought affected make up
only a small proportion of that area. The
drought has not re-emerged generally on a
large scale. The Commonwealth therefore
does not feel able to continue the existing
scheme. We have decided however, that
the Commonwealth should make a contribution
towards meeting the special problem
which exists in New South Wales where
the south east corner and Cobar districts
are still very seriously affected by continuing
drought and which might be regarded
as areas of natural disaster. In order
to help the State Government alleviate hardship
being experienced by the people of
these regions, I have therefore informed
the Premier of New South Wales that the
Commonwealth will be prepared to meet
half the cost in this financial year of relief
measures which his Government may find
it necessary to continue in these areas, until
the drought breaks.
Victoria is not drought stricken and the
seasonal outlook in that State is generally
very good. There is no doubt that drought
conditions have disappeared over virtually
the whole of the State. Because this is the
0
situation, 1 have informed the Premier that
we cannot meet his request for the continuation
of drought assistance for financing
employment grants beyond the end of this
month. However, I would remind honourable
members that, under existing arrangements,
the Commonwealth will be reimbursing
the States during the whole of
1968-69 for the cost of certain other relief
measures incurred after 30th September. I
refer here, in particular, to carry-on loans
to farmers who have established a case for
such assistance before 30th September and
to restocking loans to farmers who established
a case for such assistance before 31st
December. In addition, the Commonwealth
will be reimbursing the States for freight
concessions given prior to the end of
December on the transport of stock back
from agistment or for restocking purposes.
Under these arrangements a further advance of $ 1m is now being made to Victoria
bringing our total payments to that
State to $ 13m including $ 5m this financial
year. I would repeat that the four States which
suffered from the drought have been informed
that the Commonwealth will be
prepared to consider new arrangements if
drought conditions re-emerge on a large
scale. I am sure we all hope that this will
not be necessary and that the pockets of
drought which still remain in New South
Wales will be relieved-and that soonby
good general rains in those areas.
I present the following paper:
Drought Assistance-Ministerial Statement, 2
September 1968-
and move:
That the House take note of the paper. 0
BY AUTHORITY: A. J. ARTHUR, COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT PRINTER, CANBERRA, A. C. T.