DROUGHT DECLARATION WELCOMED IN SCENIC RIM

The plight of Scenic Rim landholders impacted by ongoing drought has been recognised through an official Drought Declaration for the region.

The Scenic Rim was among several local government areas to be drought declared after local drought committees from the central, southern and south east Queensland regions met and assessed seasonal conditions from April 2018 to March 2019.

The latest declarations, announced by Agriculture Minister Mark Furner on 1 May, bring the total area of Queensland that is drought declared to 65.2 per cent.

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen, who wrote to the Minister on behalf of primary producers urgently advocating for declaration, welcomed the announcement.

"I applaud the Minister for accepting the recommendations of the local drought committee and for recognising the serious concerns around pasture growth and water supplies in our region," he said.

"All sectors of our primary production capability reliant on growing or grazing in the Scenic Rim are suffering extreme drought effects and, prior to this declaration, a growing number of individual properties were seeking and achieving individual drought declarations."

Cr Christensen said the whole of region drought declaration was important amid seriously challenging times for primary producers.

"While property owners within a drought declared area still need to apply to be able to access any assistance, the very fact that the plight of this region has been publicly and officially recognised is important validation," he said.

"Many producers have already had to step out and prove their plight through an individual drought declaration, however the fact that the whole region is now declared says 'you are not alone'.

"This declaration recognises a harsh and cruel reality that our local producers have been battling for all too long. Our thoughts continue to be not only with drought affected primary producers in the Scenic Rim, but also with everyone impacted by this drought across the supply chain and across local government and state borders."

Land owners in need of drought assistance in the Scenic Rim should phone the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Business Information Centre on 13 25 23 or visit www.daf.qld.gov.au. For the latest drought-declaration map, visit https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/drought/drought-declarations/