Letter to the editor – drought

It’s hard not to be moved by the devastating stories told by farmers grappling with one of the driest years on record.
There’s no feed, no water, and disappointingly, none of the much needed on-ground support farmers need to help relieve the pressure of mounting bills.
It’s having a flow-on effect on us all, taking money out of our local businesses and our communities.
For months, Victorian producers have called for fodder, agistment and water support, yet their pleas continue to go ignored by an Allan Labor Government that simply doesn’t appear to care.
No doubt the drought taskforce – which includes some very wise and well-experienced people – will put forward these and similar ideas to government.
However, with no guaranteed funding to make the Taskforce recommendations a reality, farmers are no closer to the financial support they need and deserve from Labor.
The cold hard reality is Victorians are paying the price for Labor’s inability to manage money, and as disaster looms, it’s Victorian farmers who are paying the greatest price.
So many times, we’ve heard the Premier and Treasurer spruiking their regional Victorian credentials.
These words are mean nothing when Premier Jacinta Allan and her government don’t support farmers and regional communities when they need someone in their corner.
Labor must step up, stand up for all Victorians, and provide the immediate financial support for our farmers they desperately need.