Shifting federal assistance grants away from cities and into small towns could be one way to revitalise drought-stricken regional Queensland, says government drought envoy Barnaby Joyce.
Mr Joyce visited Longreach on Wednesday afternoon, speaking to councillors and business leaders as part of a drought listening tour through the state.
Fairer allocation of the federal government’s Financial Assistance Grant scheme was one area where helpful changes could possibly be made, the former deputy prime minister said.
“We need to have a look at FAGS grants and ask the question, is it really that important for the Gold Coast, or a large place with so many other forms of economic base, or is it really important for places such as Longreach or Bedourie,” he said.
“Is that actually where we should be concentrating that grant spend.”
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Funding for the grants is dished out by the federal government to states and territories, with spending then administered by individual local governments.
Mr Joyce said it was crucial to keep farmers on the land and businesses in town, but stressed that this would cost money.
And measures were needed to sustain communities long after the drought had finished, Mr Joyce added.
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“We are going to need a package for towns to build vital road infrastructure, to keep towns going, and to create a positive legacy into the future that says after the drought is over, the local infrastructure is in a better place than it was before the drought.”
The need for new infrastructure to help the tourism industry, constraining rising electricity prices and the importance of creating and keeping jobs in small towns were some of the other topics discussed at the meeting in the Longreach Regional Council chambers.
