Address to 2025 National Drought Forum

[Acknowledgments omitted]

I know how incredibly tough it’s been for those across the country who have faced, or are facing drought conditions.

Including here in South Australia.

These two days are an important opportunity to ensure that the federal government – in partnership with our state and territory colleagues, who are also here – are providing the right support for farmers.

Some of you are here today, but many more are on the frontline facing drought across the country.

By choosing to meet here in Gawler – in a community living through the challenges of drought – we can ensure these farmers and producers are rightly at the forefront of our thinking.

For many, drought and drought policy is not a theoretical concept, or just a topic for discussion in workshops.

It is a lived reality they face each day.

A lived reality that shapes every decision made on the farm.

One that sadly keeps farmers and producers up at night ...

... wondering if they’ll be able to make ends meet if the conditions don’t improve.

... wondering how they’ll be able to support their family and pay the bills if the rain doesn’t come.

... making the hardest of decisions about how to manage livestock and crops in the harshest of conditions.

And this is a lived reality that flows from the farm into regional and rural communities that are impacted by drought conditions.

From the local shops to the local footy club, drought touches every part of the community.

It impacts the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.

But in acknowledging the harsh impact of drought, I also pay tribute to the perseverance of Australia’s farmers and producers.

And the rural and regional communities who are facing these conditions.

The story of drought in Australia isn’t just one of harsh conditions and tough decisions.

The story of drought in Australia is also a story of resilience and persistence.

This resilience and persistence should be inspiration for us all to do better.

And what better place than in South Australia, and at this National Drought Forum, to do that.

But the National Drought Forum isn’t the start or end of our Government’s engagement with farmers and producers impacted by drought.

In May, and later in June with the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, I had the opportunity here in South Australia to see those drought conditions firsthand.

And since becoming the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry I’ve had the opportunity to meet with farmers across southern Australia impacted by drought.

I have visited these farmers to see for myself the impact of this drought, and to hear directly from farmers about the conditions and challenges they are facing.

These farmers were making the tough decisions I’ve just spoken about...

... feeding stock from reserves, delaying seeding, selling breeding stock and hoping for a break.

When I met with Hamish, a sheep farmer in Victoria, he spoke about how the lack of grass meant that he had to feed 8,000 sheep with hay off the back of the truck – a seven day a week job.

Leon, a beef cattle farmer, spoke about the longer-term impacts on their breeding stock, even after the drought breaks.

These stories impact on the local communities like those I have visited – but they also have a ripple effect across our economy.

They reflect the growing pressure of a changing climate on Australia’s agricultural sector.

A sector which helps underpins our food security, regional communities, and national productivity.

That’s why the 2025 National Drought Forum is so important.

It’s part of our commitment to ensuring we are doing the best to prepare for the future and support those in the midst of drought right now.

Our Government sees this drought and the challenges facing our farmers and producers.

We hear the concerns.

And we are responding.

We know it’s not enough to simply see the problems facing farmers and producers and say we’re listening.

Or to say we know farmers and producers are doing it tough.

We have to roll up our sleeves and do the work of responding and supporting farmers and producers.

This is why late last month our Government committed an additional $1 billion in new loan funding to the Regional Investment Corporation.

So that it can continue to deliver concessional loans to the agriculture sector beyond 30 June 2026.

And so, it can continue to support farmers and producers facing hardship.

This brings the Government’s contribution to the agriculture sector via RIC loans to over $5 billion.

To date RIC has provided over $3.6 billion in loans, with over $350 million of this here in South Australia.

Our Government will support the broadening of RIC’s loan scope to include assistance for improving climate resilience.

This will be critical to help farmers and producers prepare for drought and other climate change impacts.

Which will support our farmers to remain competitive, and to boost productivity.

As part of our Government’s response to the Review of the RIC Act we are also looking at how we can ensure RIC loan products, including to support those experiencing drought, are fit for purpose into the future and that they provide meaningful assistance to farmers and producers.

I know how critical RIC is to rural and regional communities which is why the Government will release our full response to the RIC Review this calendar year.

I want to thank those who contributed valuable feedback to this important process.

As I said earlier, the resilience and persistence of communities impacted by drought is a source of great inspiration.

But I know as a Government we have work to do to support this resilience.

That’s why we have committed an additional $2 million to boost the Rural Financial Counselling service nationally.

This service is so important – providing free and independent financial counselling to farmers, and regional businesses experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship.

This funding allows this vital service to employ more financial counsellors, improving access and reducing wait times in regional Australia.

This was on top of an earlier commitment of $800,000 specifically for RFCS providers here in South Australia, as well as Victoria.

In the most recent financial year, the Rural Financial Counselling Service helped almost 7,000 clients, with over 1,200 of them here in South Australia.

To help farmers and producers we have also recently seen the appointment of additional Farm Household Case Officers to support the Farm Household Allowance program.

These placements have been prioritised in drought-affected areas such as South Australia and parts of Victoria.

There are currently around 3,500 recipients of Farm Household Allowance, with over 1,000 in South Australia – but over the life of the program it has helped over 19,000 families at a time they are most in need.

And while we understand that severe conditions are still affecting so many in our agricultural sector, it is also imperative that we continue to have a forward-focus.

To build resilience for the future.

Which is why I’m also announcing the continuation of the Future Drought Fund Drought Hubs.

These Hubs support farmers and communities to prepare for drought by connecting farmers to regional experts, innovations, and new practices.

Representatives from the hubs are here today and many of you will have worked closely with the hubs to deliver services to our stakeholders.

The Hubs model is supported by a $104 million commitment under the Government’s Future Drought Fund.

An independent review of the hubs program, which has been released today, found that the Hubs have strengthened relationships among a diverse range of organisations to identify and deliver local priorities.

And, as with all things, there is always room to be better, with the review suggesting some improvements, which we will take into account as we design the next phase of the Hubs program.

The National Drought Forum is a chance to ensure policies are working for farmers and producers.

To share what you know.

And help shape a future where drought isn’t what defines us – but where our resilience, innovation, and unity do.

Thank you, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you all over the two days.