Drought Assistance
Australian Government Drought Assistance
The Australian Government is supporting drought affected farmers and rural communities through income support, interest rate relief and free personal and financial counselling. This page from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry includes links to information on drought assistance measures available from the Australian, State and Territory governments and areas eligible for full and interim exceptional circumstances assistance.
Australian Government Drought Assistance
Centrelink page provides information about help for people in communities that have been affected by the drought in a number of ways. This assistance includes help for farmers, small business, the wider community and farm hands. Page has links to income assistance in the form of Interim Income Support, Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payments, a Personal Counselling Service and Drought Force.
Australian Government Drought Assistance
Centrelink is now administering further measures that include a mix of payments and new rural grants. Centrelink is also expanding its social work and Rural Services Officer network to assist with the increased demand for services in drought affected regions. These new measures will provide direct assistance to irrigators, make it easier for farmers and small businesses to access assistance and help with social pressures facing families across rural and regional Australia.
Australian Government Drought Buses and Murray-Darling Basin Drought Bus
Drought Buses will be travelling around the worst drought affected areas in rural New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, and the Murray-Darling Basin to let rural communities know about the services the Australian Government is providing. This page includes the drought bus schedules.
Drought Assistance
This Department of Human Services page links to information on small business support, the extension of the interest rate subsidy, Drought Force, more rural financial and personal counselling, CWA emergency aid fund, professional advice and planning grants for farmers and drought assistance buses.
Drought Assistance Guide
The Assistance Guide is a summary of drought assistance measures provided by the Australian, State and Territory Governments. The information on each measure describes the assistance available, who it is for, the basic eligibility requirements (farmers and agriculture-dependent small businesses should not self-assess) as well as contact details for application forms and further information.
Drought Force
Drought Force helps individual farms and farm communities that have been severely affected by drought. It aims to help farmers with their workforce needs, especially those who have lost workers because of drought, by keeping the pool of farm labour from moving away from the region.
Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment for Farmers
Centrelink page provides information about the Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment for farmers. Page contains links to downloadable versions of claim forms and related information.
Interim Income Support for Farmers
Centrelink page provides information about Interim Income Support available for farmers. Page contains links to downloadable versions of claim forms and related information.
Murray-Darling Basin Support
Support for irrigators and dryland farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin who have been affected by reduced water allocations. All farmers, including irrigators, living in Exceptional Circumstances (EC) declared areas are eligible to apply for a range of assistance measures, including income support and interest rate subsidies.
Tax Relief Available for People Affected by the Drought
The Taxation Office is providing assistance to people who are finding it difficult to pay their tax debts due to the impacts of the drought on their income. Assistance is available to farmers and other taxpayers whose income is derived from drought affected areas.
