Over the years there have been numerous federal government...

Over the years there have been numerous federal government programs to subsidise the agricultural sector.

Go to the DAFF website.

Go to the annual reports

Find the Report on Performance (usually it's chapter 1.11 but you may have to click around a bit)


ECRP = Exceptional circumstances relief payments
ECIRS = Exceptional circumstances interest rate subsidies
ECEG = Exceptional circumstances exit grant

These programs have been operating since 2001 (I think... it's also called the household income support)

I haven't done 2000 - 2005 because they're all pdf (can't view it online) and can't be bothered clicking around a 400 page document. BUT - if you REALLY want me to I'll find the figures tonight

2006 - 2007
ECRP: $260 million
ECIRS: $441 million

2007 - 2008
ECRP: $395 million
ECIRS: $695 million

2009 - 2010
ECRP: $257 million
ECIRS: $305 million
ECEG: $20.7 million

2010 - 2011
ECRP: $146 million
ECIRS: $436 million

ALL of this money, is just the payments to the farmers. NONE of these figures include administrative costs.

Now they've stopped the Exceptional Circumstances program (because we're without drought for the first time in a decade) and now they're starting a new program called the Transitional Farm Family Payment.

NOW!............ we can talk about whether this money should have been spent on the agricultural sector, or whether it would have been better to do plan B or plan F or we should just import all our food or whatever. That's a proper discussion...

But PLEASE!

Don't tell me the agricultural sector isn't subsidised