Inadequate drought preparation may prove to be political disaster too

Panicky. That’s a word to describe the Morrison government’s response to a national drought emergency. Lack of rain, arid conditions, scorching winds and higher temperatures are contributing to an evolving disaster against the background of a contentious climate change debate. This is a challenge that will become increasingly difficult for the governments, federal and state, to ignore as water supplies run down in New South Wales towns such as Dubbo and Queensland towns such as Stanthorpe. Risks of bushfire will be further elevated.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison with farmer David Gooding
 on his drought-affected property near Dalby, Queensland.

Judging by Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, drought over much of eastern Australia is set to surpass all others in living memory going back to the beginning of record keeping. In other words, things may get a lot worse before they get better. What is left unspoken by government officials and farm representatives is this aridity will prove to be the new normal.

Let’s repeat these words in capitals: NATIONAL DROUGHT EMERGENCY. It might also be observed that no less than a drought emergency, this is a POLITICAL EMERGENCY for the Morrison government. Governmental responses, both federal and state, to a catastrophic dry across central and northern New South Wales and southern Queensland have been unfocused, according to farm representatives. Tony Mahar, chief executive of the National Farmers’ Federation, the peak body for Australian farmers, awards federal and state governments a "fail" when it comes to developing a national drought strategy to deal with emergencies. "No government, red or blue, has successfully nailed drought policy," Mahar tells me.

Read the opinion piece from The Age by Tony Walker - “Inadequate drought preparation may prove to be political disaster too.”