Sharman Stone MP

Farm Exit Grant fiasco - topic for debate in Parliament

November 29, 2011

The abrupt decision of the Gillard Government to stop funding the Farm Exit Grant program in August this year will be debated in Parliament next Monday.

Federal Member for Murray, Dr Sharman Stone will move a motion calling on the Gillard Government to provide financial support to farming families who committed to the sale of their farms prior to the program ceasing and who would have been eligible under the Exit Grant program.

The Farm Exist program provided financial support to farming families who made what was often a very emotionally charged decision to leave the farm after struggling years of drought. The Exit Grant allowed struggling farming families to leave the industry with some dignity.

“In the May Budget the Government announced the Exit Grant program would be extended for a further 12 months, yet less than 6 weeks into the new financial year the program was wound up because funds had run out,” Sharman Stone said.

“Farming families who sought assistance under the program through Centrelink were advised that they met the pre-assessment process and proceeded in good faith with the sale of their property and chattels, were abandoned by the incompetence of the Gillard Government.

Sharman Stone said she had 11 farmers contact her office of the estimated 30 farmers in Victoria, who had banked their future and the future of their families on the financial assistance available through the Farm Exit Grant program, who are now left high and dry with no money in the kitty.

This is yet another disastrous situation created by a dysfunctional and inept Government that has again proven it does not have the ability to properly administer its programs.

I call on the Government to support this motion to give the farming families a chance to re-establish.