The South Australian Government has announced the appointment of Alex Zimmerman as the state’s Commissioner for Drought Support.
The Commissioner’s role will be to assist with managing the Government’s drought response, including monitoring the progress of drought support and addressing any issues or barriers.
A former chief inspector with South Australian Police, Mr Zimmerman has also previously served to assist communities impacted but other disaster events.
The Government is supporting primary producers and regional communities through the $73 million Drought Support Package, which has been developed in direct consultation with farmers and industry representatives.
More than 2,300 applications have been approved for the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants program which provides grants up to $20,000 for projects that help manage drought conditions and strengthen preparedness.
“Work on funnelling support to those affected by drought right across the state remains ongoing, and we will continue to back in our farmers through this difficult time,” said Premier, Peter Malinauskas.
“We’ve now appointed a drought commissioner, and we are getting money out the door and into the hands of farmers as quickly as possible.”
The State Government has funded the transport costs of charities to deliver more than 6,000 tonnes of donated hay to over 700 farmers across South Australia, with more deliveries to come.
“The impacts from the drought are going to be felt for a long time, we are committed to working with our farmers and regional communities to navigate this challenging time now and into the future,” said Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven.
