While the ongoing global health crisis surrounding COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the world, politicians are ensuring drought-affected farmers that they have not been forgotten.
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According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries Combined Drought Indicator, 95.8 per cent of the state is experiencing drought.
Locally in the central west, 89.7 per cent of the region is drought affected
Western NSW is 63.4 per cent drought affected and 8.9 per cent of the area is currently in intense drought.
Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said he is in constant contact with Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW, Adam Marshall, who understand the need to keep supporting farmers and rural communities.
But let me be very clear, drought has not been forgotten," Mr Saunders said.
"Thanks to strong financial management we have been able to support people through bushfires and now coronavirus, but that has not come at the expense of supporting people in drought-ravaged parts of NSW."
In the current financial year, there has now been almost $1 billion invested in regional NSW, to help primary producers and communities through the drought.
"That funding has been made available in a variety of ways, and although I realise not every single primary producer has been able to qualify for everything available, there has been a huge effort made to help as many as possible in the right way," Mr Saunders explained.
As part of the NSW Government's drought response more than $186 million has been spent on the drought transport subsidy while the Farm Innovation Fund has seen in excess of $436 million returned to regional communities.
Almost $100 million has been distributed through the Drought Assistance Fund, and in excess of $100 million worth of Local Land Service rates and Fixed Water charges have been waived.
"Parts of the region have received good rainfall in recent times, and although I'm mindful the drought certainly isn't over, there is also the need to be able to help primary producers transition into drought recovery in the best way possible," Mr Saunders said.
More information on the assistance available from the NSW Government can be found by visiting www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au
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