Australia is in the seventh year of the worst drought in the country’s history. Since the start of this year the federal government has allocated over $2.3 billion in drought assistance funding for farmers in areas declared to be experiencing “Exceptional Circumstances” of drought. Since that time, state and federal service officers, social workers and other representatives have been traveling to EC declared areas all over Australia on a series of drought buses, to advise farmers of the financial and emotional assistance available to them.
In January 2007 and once again last week, the drought bus visited Biggenden, Queensland. Biggenden, population 800, is a cattle area that’s been EC declared since October 2006. Global Public Media correspondent Andi Hazelwood currently makes her home in Biggenden Shire. In this exclusive Global Public Media feature, Biggenden farmers and business people, and drought bus workers, tell Andi their stories of drought. Choose any of the links at the end of the page to listen to the interviews in three separate parts or as a complete feature.
Part 1:
Noel Brown, cattle grazier: “I’m 76 year old and it’s the worst drought in my history, that I’ve ever known. No water, no grass. And it doesn’t seem much relief is down the track… over the period of years you manage to put a little bit away, and you just use your savings up. And when it runs out, well I suppose that’s end of story.”
Jeff McColl, rural services officer: “When you see huge properties that are running 3000 head of cattle and not a blade of grass to be seen on them, it’s pretty tragic. But farmers are very, very resilient people.”
Dellise Heit, social worker: “There’s a recognition that there’s a social impact of the drought as well, not just the financial impacts that happen. So there’s lots of issues around depression, suicide, family breakdowns, things like domestic violence as well can become an issue when families are under stress.”
More text and links to audio segments are at the original article.
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