GRANT District Council is rallying behind drought-stricken farming communities in New South Wales and Victoria with plans under way to donate money from its disaster relief fund.
With the plight of farmers dominating news bulletins across Australia, the rural council this week mooted siphoning some money from the $170,000 pool to help a community in need.
Council’s disaster relief fund was established in the aftermath of the devastating Ash Wednesday bushfires, which swept through Tarpeena and surrounding districts.
The 1983 fires claimed the lives of 14 people in the region, destroying hundreds of homes.
The former Bond Corporation donated two houses in Tarpeena to provide housing on a concessional basis for bushfire victims.
These properties were later sold with the proceeds deposited into a disaster relief fund.
Council has previously allocated funds for community infrastructure projects in fire-ravaged regions.
At this week’s council meeting, elected members threw their support behind the need to allocate some funds for drought-affected communities.
While Mayor Richard Sage mooted the funds could be used to coordinate transport of donated hay interstate, a number of elected members questioned whether the region had the feedstock available.
“That would be a good start with the local community coming together, including the saleyards and the agents, to put hay on trucks,” Mr Sage said.
But Cr Barry Kuhl – who farms at Kongorong – raised questions over whether there was enough hay available to put on trucks.
“With the fires in the Western District of Victoria earlier this year and farmers starting to shut paddocks up and hay stocks low, we are probably better off looking at a financial contribution,” he said.
Cr Alan Hill – who raised the issue at council – said council should use its disaster fund to help drought-affected communities.
“There is a lot of money sitting there … and I would like to see our chief executive officer liaise with a local government organisation in New South Wales or Queensland,” Cr Hill said.
“Something needs to come back to council very quickly to provide us with some information about what way this council should go.”
But he said it was vital 100pc of the donation went towards to an organisation assisting drought-stricken farmers.
Cr Shirley Little warned she did not want the money used for administration for a community organisation, but to make a difference on the ground.
A report to council could be tabled in two weeks.
