CMA Calls for Direct Subsidies as NSW Government Expands Drought Plan

In Short 

• Loans vs. Subsidies: While the NSW Government doubled loan limits to $500,000, the CMA argues that debt-heavy farmers need direct subsidies for water and fodder transport to remain viable.
• Pests Beyond Pigs: The CMA is urging a broader feral animal culling strategy, noting that exploding rabbit populations are destroying what little ground cover remains in the Western Plains.
• Migration of Drought: Despite potential relief in parts of the Riverina by April, experts forecast the drought will intensify as it moves toward Western and Northern NSW.

The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) has responded to the NSW Government’s recent expansion of the state’s drought plan, asserting that while the measures are a starting point, further intervention is required to protect the viability of primary producers in the Far West and Riverina.

The updated plan, announced on 16 February, introduces increased finance loans, expanded financial counselling, water testing resources, and support for feral animal culling. However, for communities within the Hay, Balranald, Carrathool, and Central Darling shires, the focus remains on whether these measures address the immediate logistical costs of a deepening drought.

Debt Concerns and Transport Costs

CMA Chairman and Temora Shire Mayor, Rick Firman OAM, stated that maintaining core livestock is the immediate priority for landholders. He suggested that providing further credit may not be the solution for an already leveraged sector.

"The CMA believes that direct subsidies are essential to maintain livestock welfare and farm viability as local supplies diminish," Cr Firman said.

While the government has doubled the Drought Ready and Resilient Fund loan limit to $500,000 and introduced a $100,000 Drought Relief Loan, Cr Firman noted that many affected graziers are already carrying significant debt. According to the CMA, the ongoing cost of transporting fodder and water continues to be the primary financial strain on properties in the south-west.

Feral Animal Pressures

The expansion of the plan includes targeted funding for the culling of pigs and deer. However, the CMA has advised the Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, that the scope of these programs must be wider to protect the fragile ecology of the western plains.

"I have also advised Minister Moriarty that the feral animal focus needs to broaden," Cr Firman said. "Targeted funding for pigs and deer is positive but rabbit populations continue to place immense pressure on degraded pastures. In some areas, it’s a case of protecting what little ground cover remains."

Regional Outlook and Future Planning

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has forecast that while conditions in parts of the Riverina and Murray regions may ease by late April, the drought is expected to migrate toward western and northern NSW.

In response to the evolving situation, the Premier’s Remote, Rural and Regional Advisory Committee (PRRRAC) has established a dedicated Drought and Water Working Party.

Cr Firman, a member of the PRRRAC, outlined the objectives of the new group:

"One of our goals is to work collaboratively with the Minister and her Department on the development of initiatives that support not just our farmers, but the rural businesses and communities that depend on their success, while they battle the economic and social impacts of drought."

He concluded by emphasizing the need for sustained monitoring as the drought moves deeper into the western division.

"We need to be constantly vigilant to ensure that responses to the drought are timely, effective and provide the support that our remote, rural and regional communities need," Cr Firman said.