17 October 2019

Gunnedah Shire Council will respond to the challenges of this unprecedented drought with a one-off program to answer the urgent needs of the community through the year ahead and help stimulate the economy of the Shire.

Councillors yesterday voted unanimously to prioritise $1 million this financial year for a Community Resilience Program and will lobby the State and Federal governments to match that amount.

Council will also allocate an additional $200,000 to put towards new initiatives, community consultation and look at emergency assistance for people in crisis, and will look at employing a co-ordinator to drive and oversee the program.

“Our farmers are facing incredibly tough times, sometimes in isolation as they struggle to keep the property together,” Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey said.

“But the effects of this drought also go far beyond the farm gate. There would not be many small or large businesses that are not feeling the impact, and not many families who remain unaffected.

“Council has taken this unprecedented step of setting aside $1 million to establish the most practical, immediate way to help both those directly under the thumb of the drought and to stimulate the economy in our Shire during this time.

“Gunnedah Shire is leading the way for local government with this initiative.

“The Community Resilience Program will allow us to look at the whole breadth of drought impacts across Gunnedah Shire and to answer those needs in the best way we can.

”The State and Federal governments have already allocated millions of dollars to drought relief. With this program, we are looking at working together to address the very specific needs of our shire and to ensure the people who want to live and work here can continue to do so. “

Photo caption: Gunnedah in drought – Gunnedah Shire Council is implementing a new program to support the people and businesses of the Shire.

ENDS

Media contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.