Graziers and community leaders have cautiously welcomed the $2 billion recovery package announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last Friday.
While unwilling to wholeheartedly commit before understanding the finer detail, Cloncurry's Jacqueline Curley spoke for many when she said they were happy to have the Prime Minister's backing.
"Really, it's the only chance for so many," she said.
"Most of us are carrying big loans and have kids wanting to come after us - we've got to find a way to make it happen for them."
She said extremely low interest loans with extended payment periods were probably the only way that could happen.
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Richmond mayor John Wharton said the Prime Minister had included criteria around cash payments that hadn't been seen in previous relief packages but were necessary in the circumstances.
"The Prime Minister listened - the package looks pretty good," he said.
"Time's precious though; they've got to make it happen quickly.
"News of the disaster went around the world in a flash and this has to too."
He said there were good news stories in some paddocks where producers had been able to scale losses back from 100pc to 50pc.
"There's a lot more drought country than green country in Australia at the moment so this package might help drought people too, by keeping cattle prices up."
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Economist Ben Rees described the reconstruction plan as a hopeful start but not having enough structure at this stage to make a judgement.
He said it was hard to determine whether it fit the mould of an adjustment scheme, or helping to move people on, which Australian schemes currently followed, or a reconstruction plan, which Australia moved away from around 1976.
"Population declines have happened under adjustment schemes so there is an issue with its effectiveness in terms of regional communities," he said.
The program needs to demonstrate how it will reverse population decline while salvaging those who want to stay
- Ben Rees
"As it relies on the generosity of the banking sector to fund recovery under concessional loans, there are serious overhanging questions, given the findings of the Royal Commission."
Mr Rees warned that the requirement for banks to report distressed loans to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, who regulated banks, was a real issue.
"Unless Mr Morrisson has APRA compliance to his request for banks to give leniency for three years to distressed farmers, there could be problems," he said.
Mr Rees said people would have their hopes up, and he hoped they were justified.
Katter's Australian Party leader Bob Katter, who has claimed much of the credit for the $2b package, said he was terrified it may get whittled away by other groups.
"I make this point with vehemence and rage - out of a variety of debt summits that we played a critical role in, we secured $750m with $350m to Queensland, but only four of the thousand cattlemen in trouble got any money.
"In other words, the money didn't go to where it was supposed to.
"We don't need interest rate subsidies because banks will just increase their rates to cater - they'll take no losses if they can help it," Mr Katter said.
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