Federal Member for Wright Scott Buchholz has confirmed he is putting the case for the Scenic Rim to be recognised under the Drought Communities Programme.
“I’ve been in regular contact with Minister Littleproud, putting the case for why the Scenic Rim needs to be included in future rounds.
“I wrote to the Minister again in the last sitting week, outlining why the Scenic Rim should be included in this programme.
“The current DCP guidelines rely on a number of criteria for local government areas to be declared, not just drought declarations, including population, industry and employment data – particularly as it relates to agriculture.
“According to the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research (NIEIR), agriculture equates to approximately 12.7 per cent of total employment in the Scenic Rim.
“The Government has allocated a further $50 million under the most recent drought support announcement and I’ll continue to lobby on behalf of the Scenic Rim.
“A review into the eligibility guidelines of DCP is currently underway and that will inform future rounds of the programme and eligibility for the additional $50 million allocated to support the regions. “
The most recent extension announced in early November is being rolled out across Australia, to get going before Christmas.”
