THE Victorian government will expand its Drought Package and extend it to farmers statewide to help battle with rapidly deteriorating conditions across the state.
Premier Jacinta Allan made the announcement on Friday, saying the latest weather data shows the anticipated “autumn break” farmers anxiously awaited has failed to eventuate, with the window for last minute rain to avoid a failed season closing completely.
The news follows weeks of lobbying by councils, MPs and farmer bodies - particularly in the North East - for more support to be offered to farmers here and across the state.
Premier Allan on Friday acknowledged the increasingly devastating effects of drought aren’t confined by postcode or region – “it’s impacting farmers across Victoria and it’s why we’re expanding support statewide”.
She said advice from Agriculture Victoria indicates that rainfall in May realised the worst-case scenario, and over the past two weeks, a majority of the state received just 20 per cent or less of the average typical rainfall expected in May.
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Premier Allan said the latest reporting from the Bureau of Meteorology also indicates these conditions are likely to continue into June - leaving many paddocks and dams dry, with fodder prices doubling.
“Due to these worsening conditions, the Labor Government will deliver a new and expanded Drought Package – supported by an additional $37.7 million in funding,” she said.
“This will ensure farmers across our state are able to access grants of up to $5000 to support on-farm drought management improvements, in addition to financial counselling and mental health support.”
The worst affected farmers in Victoria’s south-west will have payments increased to $10,000, with the program also expanded to cover water carting activities and pasture re-establishment across Victoria.
Equally important, the government will cap its controversial Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) contribution - meaning all primary production properties will pay the same amount they paid in 2024-25.
This will see the ESVF variable rate on primary production properties remain at 28.7 – the same as it was in 2024-25 – for the duration of the 2025-26 financial year.
This reduced rate will be applied to rates notices for primary production properties automatically.
Agriculture Victoria’s farm technical and decision-making support has also been made available statewide, supporting farmers to manage the impacts of these increasingly drier conditions.
Premier Allan said the government will deliver a further package of support in the coming weeks – informed by a dedicated new Drought Response Taskforce with government, council, farmer, CWA, agribusiness and finance representatives.
Alpine Shire welcomes drought support, hopes for further ESVF changes
ALPINE Shire Council has welcomed drought support being extended to the shire's eligible farmers, and also hopes it may lead to further changes on the controversial Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, that is supposed to replace the Fire Services Levy from July 1 this year.
Mayor Cr Sarah Nicholas said it was great to see drought relief extended right across the state, with grants of up to $5000 now available to all farmers.
And she said the new taskforce is also a "positive step towards understanding what more our farmers need during these really challenging times".
"This announcement also moves us closer to the moratorium we’ve been calling for on the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund," she said.
"It’s a chance for the state government to sit down with councils across Victoria and work towards a fairer system - one that doesn’t place such a heavy cost on primary producers and rural communities."
Alpine Shire, together with other councils from across the state, has been lobbying against the ESVF - both on grounds of its "unfair" financial burden estimated at $2 million more annually on its shire residents, in addition to the cost and councils having to collect the state tax for the government.
