{"id":219323,"date":"2018-09-26T18:16:37","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T08:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=219323"},"modified":"2020-07-31T10:45:59","modified_gmt":"2020-07-31T00:45:59","slug":"drought-committee-sacking-a-disgrace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/09\/26\/drought-committee-sacking-a-disgrace\/","title":{"rendered":"Drought Committee Sacking ‘A Disgrace’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shadow Agriculture Minister and Member for Gympie Tony Perrett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 26, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shadow Agriculture Minister Tony Perrett has slammed the shock sacking of a Local Drought Committee by the State Government.<\/p>\n

Local Drought Committees are independent bodies which convene to recommend whether a local government area should be drought-declared or its drought status lifted.<\/p>\n

Last Wednesday, Agricultural Minister Mark Furner announced that part of the Western Downs Regional Council area would be added to the drought declarations list.<\/p>\n

But at the same time, he said membership of the Western Downs Local Drought Committee would be “refreshed”.<\/p>\n

Mr Perrett called the LDC\u2019s sacking a disgrace and an insult to the farming community.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A statement from the LNP said\u00a0Mr Furner had decided to “shoot the messenger” by axing the Western Downs LDC after its members \u2013 one of whom had served on the committee for 35 years \u2013 voted unanimously for the area to be drought-declared.<\/p>\n

However, Mr Furner ignored the recommendation and only allowed part of the Western Downs to be officially drought-declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s be very clear, the Minister sacked the LDC all because it didn\u2019t deliver the verdict he wanted,\u201d Mr Perrett said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Minister was embarrassed and angry he didn\u2019t get what he wanted \u2013 so he threw an outrageous tantrum and fired everyone involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cChinchilla grain farmer Greg Stanke had served on the LDC for 35 years. He has been treated disgracefully. The Minister should hang his head in shame.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf Labor can do this to Western Downs, it can do it to any other region.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy intimidating LDCs, Labor plans to make it harder for communities to get on the drought-affected list. This means farmers and communities will be starved of assistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe LNP continues to call for a complete state-wide audit of our regional drought declarations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for Minister Furner to direct all our LDCs to meet again and provide frank and fearless advice on the deteriorating seasonal conditions affecting our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n