Rural Queensland to get $9 million boost for fodder, medical services

The Royal Flying Doctor Service will receive an additional $4 million to help struggling rural communities, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Monday.

Farmers will also receive extra subsidies to get fodder – needed for struggling herds – from further afield, because much of New South Wales is also hit by drought.

The money is part of a $9 million boost for drought relief over four years announced by the Queensland government as 59 per cent of Queensland is covered by government drought declarations.

Drought declaration allows properties and local authorities to claim subsidies for transport and rent relief from the state government.

Ms Palaszczuk on Monday announced a four-strand range of support to regional Queensland including:

$4 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service over four years;
$2 million in extra mental health funding to a Queensland Health Tackling Regional Adversity program;
$2 million over two years to the Small Business Financial Counselling Service;
$1 million to increase the distance from which subsidised fodder can be delivered to farms from 1300 kilometres to 2000 kilometres

Ms Palaszczuk said the advice cabinet received said this fodder relief would be welcomed by farmers.

"This allows fodder to be transported to the most northerly drought-affected area in Queensland, juts south of Normanton, from the Mallee in Victoria," Ms Palaszczuk said.

The government has already allocated $670 million over five years in a range of drought relief measures.

Ms Palaszczuk said $470,000 has been raised the Queensland government's Drought Appeal launched last week.

She said the decision to bring forward the $4 million in funds to the Royal Flying Doctor Service was requested by the Country Women's Association.

"What we have done is brought forward $4 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to try to get this money out to the communities," Ms Palaszczuk said.

She said cabinet was acting on advice to fund extra financial counselling and mental health as the drought's impact hit small towns.

Fodder assistance has been boosted to get extra feed to farms and properties, she said.

"We have extended the kilometres out to 2000 kilometres which means more farmers will be able to get more assistance," she said.

Queensland's two wild dog commissioners, former LNP MP Vaughan Johnson and Mark O'Brien, from St Vincent de Paul, were today appointed drought commissioners.

The pair will work without pay to put together a more detailed Queensland drought assistance package to give to Agriculture Minister Mark Furner.

"They have volunteered to do this job, they are not seeking any government payment, but they are out there in Longreach and Charleville and they will be our eyes and ears to make sure the money gets to the right places in regional Queensland," Ms Palaszczuk said.

Agricultural Minister Mark Furner said the extension to the fodder relief meant Queensland farmers could get subsidised feed from as far south as Tasmania.

"There is virtually no fodder in New South Wales, that is a state that is now 100 per cent drought-declared," he said.

"The fodder will also help in the far north and in western Queensland and on the back of that there is assistance to farmers in drought-declared areas to extend their funding by an extra $10,000 up to a $50,000 cap."

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington on Monday asked for a regional tourism drive to be considered by the Palaszczuk government to bring tourism dollars to the outback.

"Drought-affected regional communities also need more support, so a drive tourism campaign encouraging people to support local businesses is also a must," Ms Frecklingon said.

"If we don't support the local stores, cafes, pubs and hotels we will lose these businesses from our rural landscape."

"Initiatives like these will send a strong message to our drought stricken farmers – we are with you."

Ms Palaszczuk said Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey had spoken to cabinet about bring forward road projects in rural Queensland, similar to the Queensland government's approach after Cyclone Debbie to invest money into regional Queensland."

"We have actually got a western roads package brought foroward funding to get people in employment out there.

"So that is in place now."