Victorian government announces extra $15.9m in drought support for farmers

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Hundreds of CFA crews across Victoria are taking their tankers offline today in protest over the government’s increase in the emergency services levy which was passed in Victoria last night. They are angry at the additional cost when farmers are already struggling with drought conditions. Today, the state government announced additional drought-relief funding for some of those farmers. But, it has done little to quell growing anger in the bush.

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00:00After two years without rain, Hamilton sheep farmer Todd Venning spends $25,000 a week shipping in feed.

00:12He's eligible for the state government's drought relief funding but says dollar for dollar grants limited to $5,000 aren't enough.

00:21Spring Street's completely forgotten about rural Victoria and what they want us to do in the future.

00:26Eleven local government areas in western Victoria already received the support.

00:31Today's announcement expands the program to another 13 LGAs across the state.

00:36But that leaves half of the state's 48 rural and regional municipalities without cover.

00:42We're feeding two days a week, my son goes one way, I go the other and we're on our own.

00:46Duncan Barber's farm at Metcalfe is one of those that missed out.

00:51It's been pretty hard to deal with seeing all that death, you know you've got to deal with death nearly every day.

00:58He feels forgotten by the government.

01:00I know they've got no money because poor management and that's why they don't want to help us.

01:05There's a nationally recognised framework that brings areas into this drought declaration.

01:10It's a double whammy for the state government which is facing an increasingly hostile backlash in the bush to its new emergency services tax.

01:19The levy hits rural landholders harder than city property owners and many farmers in the CFA are threatening to down tools in protest.

01:28Firecom, just letting you know that Borromine Tanker is going offline in protest.

01:34This is a line in the sand time. If this is not repealed, I think the whole job's stuffed.

01:42A new emergency services tax passed parliament last night after the government secured a deal with the crossbench.

01:49The Premier says volunteers can get a rebate on the levy.

01:53In staying a member of the CFA, staying a volunteer, you won't have to pay the levy.

02:00It's a bitter pill to swallow for those already struggling with the cost of a drought.

02:05You know, it's not easy to deal with and I've got to...

02:11An industry on edge.

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