PM Transcripts

PRIME MNMSTIER
-A
FOR MEDIA THURSDAY, 20 JANUARY 1983
ARMY TO PROVIDE FABRIC TANKS FOR TEMPORARY WATER STORAGE
The Prine. Minister announced today that he had written to the
Premier of Victoria indicating that the Army was prepared
to meet the Premier's request for fabric tanks for temporary
water storage at railheads for transporting water to drought
affected rural towns in Victoria. The Premier had written
indicating that contingency planning was under way for
transporting water by rail to drought affected rural towns and
Shires, and asked that the Army make available, on a stand-by
basis by late January, fabric tanks with a total capacity of
750,000 litres.
This assistance follows on from the Commonwealth's agreement,
conveyed to the Premier by the Acting Prime Minister on
17 December, to allow State expenditure on transporting
water to drought affected towns and households as eligible
for assistance on a $ 3 Commonwealth to $ 1 State basis under
the Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements.
It is a further example of the Comonwealth's willingness to
co-operate with the State Governments in providing measures
of real assistance to those affected by the drought.