Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) is thrilled to hear “Queensland farmers will be able to use disaster funding to replant destroyed crops” for the first time in the wake of devastating floods.
Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett made the announcement in Queensland Parliament on Tuesday after visiting with flood-affected growers in the Burdekin and Herbert regions.
Both QCAR and Canegrowers had advocated for this support, knowing how vital it was to farmers having a chance to earn an income this harvest season.
“The region is heavily reliant on the success of its primary producers and the impact (from the floods) will be felt right across the towns and communities that support them,” Mr Perrett said in parliament.
“The Crisafulli government has answered years of desperate pleas from farmers for assistance to replant crops destroyed in natural disasters.
“Growers asked, we listened. We fought for their interest … My department will now begin co-designing, with industry guidelines governing how replanting and reseeding can be carried out using this disaster assistance.
“I encourage growers to have their say as part of this process.
“We owe it to growers to ease some of the sizeable stress they are under.”
Over the past fortnight, QCAR executives and representatives have met with numerous politicians and authorities to advocate for our six-point plan for recovery.
Along with replanting subsidies, QCAR is pushing for the state and federal government to approve Category D Disaster Assistance (on top of the Category C Disaster Assistance grants of $25,000 that were recently announced), funds to repair creek banks and clean drainage systems, support for the harvesting and local business sectors, help to repair the rail network and allow the industry to begin crushing this season, and more mental health support and services.
Along with Mr Perrett, QCAR would like to thank Premier David Crisafulli, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki, Senator Susan McDonald, Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto, Burdekin MP Dale Last, Dawson MP Andrew Willcox, Kennedy MP Bob Katter, Hinchinbrook Shire Council Mayor Ramon Jayo and Deputy Mayor Mary Brown, Queensland Reconstruction Authority CEO Jake Elwood, and Queensland State Disaster Recovery Coordinator Andrew Cripps for giving their time to meet with QCAR, hear our concerns, and more importantly, visit the homes of flood-affected sugarcane farmers to witness firsthand the struggles they will face to keep this industry afloat and continue being the lifeblood of regional Queensland communities.
QCAR CEO Stephen Ryan said the invitation was still open for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins to meet with us and farmers on the ground in the Herbert and Burdekin.
“Sugarcane growers are used to battling diversity, but it means the world to them when those with the power like Mr Albanese to make decisions, that can change their reality from one of uphill struggles to one of hope, spend even just enough time with them to have smoko round the kitchen table.
“North Queenslanders are a resilient bunch but they need their governments’ help in times of natural disasters.
“We’re hearing of members who are mentally suffering, but we have no doubt there are countless others in the flood-affected communities who won’t come forward and ask for help.
“We wait in anticipation for Mr Albanese to approve Category D Disaster Assistance to help soften Mother Nature’s blow, which we estimate, just from the impact on the sugarcane industry alone, will rip tens of millions of dollars out of the economy.”
QCAR Herbert District Manager Lawrence Di Bella, whose own farms in Ingham were damaged, has spent the past fortnight meeting with fellow flood-affected growers.
Mr Di Bella described scenes where mountainsides had washed into creeks, rivers had carved through paddocks and drowned crops, and topsoil was all but gone.
“Some growers like Hinchinbrook Mayor Mr Jayo have only just been able to access their fields and what they’re seeing is devastating,” he said.
“It has to be seen to be believed.
“QCAR will continue working with, and advocating for, all sugarcane farmers, regardless of whether they’re members with us or not, to achieve the best outcomes for the industry, our families, and the communities we live in.
“Together, we will get through this.”
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For media interviews please contact QCAR Herbert District Manager Lawrence Di Bella on 0448 084 252.
For further media assistance, please contact QCAR Media and Communications Manager Heidi Petith on 0427 855 726.
For more images of the flooding disaster, see our gallery here: https://qcar.org.au/gallery/
