Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips MP has again expressed disgust that the government continues to deny the South Coast is in drought, even after the recent devastating bushfires.

Local farmers are struggling under the weight of the drought and these issues have simply been compounded by the recent bushfires. However, today the Morrison Government has once again left the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Kiama councils out of the newly-eligible council areas under the Drought Communities Extension Programme. 

Fiona Phillips has raised the urgent need for drought help with the government on multiple occasions, however these concerns continue to fall on deaf ears.

“I am simply gobsmacked that after suffering through some of the worst fires Australia has ever seen, which we know have been exacerbated by the drought, the government would still deny struggling farmers help with the drought,” Mrs Phillips said.

“Farmers were suffering from the drought long before the fires, but these issues have now been intensified substantially and more needs to be done to make sure we don’t lose our dairy industry,”

“Our farmers need help now – they cannot wait for this government to wake up to the fact they are experiencing a drought,” the Gilmore MP said. 

Labor has long offered to work in a bipartisan manner with the government to support our local farmers and communities suffering through this drought.

The Gilmore MP labelled the lack of transparency and oversight in the government’s drought packages as deplorable.

“I will not stop fighting until the government gives our farmers the help they deserve,” Fiona Phillips said.