Time to Get Real
I've received some concerning feedback from farmers in the region who say that their freight subsidies - which were designed to alleviate pressure on farmers in a timely manner - are now taking eight to ten weeks to come through, whereas when the subsidies were first introduced they were cleared in two to three weeks.
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Last year when I began putting what turned out to be months of pressure on the Government to finally deliver these freight subsidies (along with other measures to support our farmers such as rego rebates), I was relieved when they finally yielded.
However, these rebates were always intended to assist farmers in an effective an efficient manner, not whenever it suits the Government.
Farming businesses are no different to other small businesses in that cashflow is vital to sustainability.
Any financial assistance that is not timely is either a sign of bad planning on the Government's part, or nothing more than tokenism.
Perhaps contributing to this inefficiency is the equally concerning fact that 14 or more contracts for employees who performed assessor roles at the Rural Assistance Authority, including Drought Assistance Fund assessors, Transport Subsidy Assessors and Farm Innovation Fund Assessors, have not had their contracts renewed.
How could this decision be made with any level of responsibility to regional communities, who are still very much in the midst of a drought crisis that requires an urgent, consistent and very real response?
I have asked the Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW, Adam Marshall MP, why these jobs which are essential to the time-critical assessment of applications for funding assistance have been cut, given that 98.7% of New South Wales is affected by drought.
His answer is due on 26 September.
I will continue to hold the Government to account for following through on their promises and doing their part for our regional communities.
Maternity Services in Parkes
This week I was able to review non-privileged documents provided by the Minister for Health in response to the Standing Order 52, calling for papers regarding the steps taken by the Western NSW Local Health District to recruit obstetricians and anaesthetists to maintain level 3 birthing at the Parkes Hospital.
The information provided was scant and non-specific but my Shooters Fishers and Farmers Upper House colleague The Hon. Mark Banasiak MLC will question Minister Brad Hazzard under oath in Budget Estimates today.
What documents do reveal is that the LHD indicate they were interviewing candidates last month for a GP obstetrics role and that they're also in discussions with three doctors who have expressed interest in providing services at the hospitals in 2020.