Burke won't pre-empt EC status review
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Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke has refused to pre-empt the outcome of a National Rural Advisory Council (NRAC) assessment of the Coonabarabran Rural Lands Protection Board's Exceptional Circumstances status.
Drought assistance in parts of the New South Wales board was not rolled over at the end of last month, angering some farmers who claim it was wrongly tied with northern boards which experienced good cropping seasons.
Mr Burke says while it would be wrong to pre-empt what NRAC will recommend to him, the system is not ideal.
"Certainly this current system where people get a current ruling that's averaged across areas that are in recovery even though they aren't in recovery, just can't be the best way of dealing with people who're going through an extremely tough drought," he said.
Mr Burke says he will act immediately once NRAC assesses the reinstatement application.
