MITCHELL graziers, Matt Steele and Geoffrey Blacket believe the Federal Government's Farm Finance Package won't go far enough to alleviate the debt burden on primary producers.
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The package will be administered through QRAA and will provide loans of up to $650,000 at 4.5pc to producers struggling to manage rising rural debt.
Mr Steele manages a 14,000ha property, Tamanick Downs, 80km south of Mitchell, for the Blacket family, but also does contract dozer work around the district.
He has stock of his own on agistment and would dearly love to run his own property but can't access a concessional First Start loan through QRAA because he doesn't have the required 50pc equity.
"I imagine this will be a similar deal," he said.
"I can't see it helping many people."
His boss, Geoffrey Blacket, is equally sceptical.
Working in partnership with his wife Jacque, Mr Blacket recently went into more debt to purchase Tamanick Downs from his mother. The Blackets also own Marlee Downs, another property in the Mulga belt between Bollon and Charleville, which is currently drought declared.
Mr Blacket said debt levels were a hot topic among southwest graziers but he did not believe many would seek Farm Finance loans.
"It's just another debt and $650,000 is not a huge amount of money - most people have debts far higher than that," he said.
"Most of the people out in the mulga are just about broke. Costs are going up all the time. The only reason we bought this place was because we had a bit of equity and its better country than what we had so we thought it would be our best shot.
"But who would go into debt to buy a property out here when your profit margins are less than 1pc?"
The Blackets breed cattle on Marlee Downs and Tamanick Downs, turning the steer progeny off as weaners.
Mr Blacket sold some weaners out of the paddock this week and said the prices were similar to rates he received 30 years ago.
"These were 270kg steers and we got $370 for them - it's a joke," he said.
"We need to get more money for the product we produce."
