FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said widespread rainfall across part of the electorate as well as western NSW and south-west Queensland has gone some way to easing concerns about the the drought.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“It’s great to see we’ve had widespread rain, obviously the only cure for a drought in the end is rain,” Mr Joyce said.
“This is a good start, I’m glad to see we’ve had falls up to and around the two inches mark and I think there might be a bit more rain around still.
Mr Joyce hopes the rain will give beef prices and the cattle market a kick.
“A kick in cattle prices on the back of good sheep prices would be fantastic, and hopefully if people have got a bit of in-crop rain it will help finish off their wheat crops, which would have otherwise been for the high jump.”
Mr Joyce said there was still drought assistance available for farming families struggling with the extended dry.
“There’s still concessional money available and I’ve moved another $20 million into the NSW pot to deal with the issues of drought before us,” Mr Joyce said.
“There’s still access to $280 million at four per cent which will help farmers to re-stock and replant.”
By 3.30pm on Monday Drake in the far north-east of the Electorate had recorded 38 millimetres while Mullaley in the south-west had recorded 26 millimetres. Other falls included 36 millimetres at Inverell, 30 millimetres for Glen Innes, Manilla and Gunnedah, Barraba received 29 millimetres and Werris Creek 37 millimetres.
