MEMBER for Northern Victoria Region Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell has continued to pressure the Allan Labor Government to expand its Drought Support Package to all local government areas in her electorate.<\/p>\n
Speaking during the adjournment debate directed to the Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence in State Parliament this week, Mrs Tyrrell pointed out that despite the effects of the drought spreading throughout all of regional Victoria, only residents in one LGA in Northern Victoria, Towong Shire, can access the package.<\/p>\n
In the lead up to the last weeks State Budget, Mrs Tyrrell called on Treasurer Jaclyn Symes to expand the drought support package to all LGAs in her electorate and the Government responded the following day to include Towong Shire residents in the package.<\/p>\n
“While Towong is a worthy inclusion, drought affected farmers in the rest of Northern Victoria Region, the biggest electorate in Victoria, are feeling neglected as they battle no rain and high water and feed costs,” Mrs Tyrrell said.<\/p>\n
Mrs Tyrrell said she has had personal representations on the issue from the mayors of Mansfield, Murrindindi and Loddon Shires, and was in receipt of a letter forwarded to Ms Spence and other members of parliament signed by the leaders of the member councils of the Hume Region Local Government Network.<\/p>\n
Mrs Tyrrell also spoke of how the current challenges faced by our farmers is impacting on their mental health, citing a 2023 National Farmers Federation report documenting that 45 per cent of the farmers surveyed had had thoughts of self-harm or suicide and 30 per cent of those surveyed had attempted self-harm or to take their own lives.<\/p>\n
“This government claims to care for our farmers but nothing they have done in recent weeks, including slugging Victorians including farmers with the disgusting ESVF levy, proves this,” Mrs Tyrrell said.<\/p>\n
“By excluding all but one Northern Victorian LGA from receiving drought assistance the government has demonstrated just how little regard they have for our farmers and this needs to change now before it is too late.”<\/p>\n