The severity of Queensland’s drought continues to hurt our farmers with several government owned and operated irrigation schemes so dry they’re unable to provide any water to their farming customers.
The drought has created a situation where farmers are paying fees on their water licenses, even though they’re receiving 0% of their water allocation.
Put simply, farmers are paying money to the Queensland Government for nothing in return.
LNP Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Dale Last believes it’s unfair and has called on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to waive the Part A irrigation fees for those farmers with 0% allocation.
“Farmers in the Lockyer Valley, South Burnett, Southern Downs and other regions are currently paying money for nothing and it doesn’t make any sense,” Mr Last said.
“We know Labor Governments have waived these fees in the past in severe drought*, so why can’t they do it again in 2019?
“This is simple economics. Farmers, or anyone else for that matter, shouldn’t be paying taxes for nothing.
“If Seqwater and SunWater can’t deliver water to grow farmers crops, then farmers shouldn’t have to pay for it.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government should be doing everything to help farmers struggling with drought, not slugging them with useless fees.
“It’s bad enough that Labor is cutting drought assistance to livestock farmers by scrapping the fodder subsidies, now they are charging those growing our crops for nothing.
“It’s time for Labor Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham to waive these unfair Part A fees to assist our struggling drought affected farmers.
“Labor is anti-regions, anti-job and they just doesn’t understand rural and regional Queensland.
“This is just another example of Labor governing from Brisbane for Brisbane.”
