A new Australian Government drought plan

19 September 2024

Assistant Secretary, Drought Policy Branch
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
GPO Box 858,
Canberra ACT 2601
By: Website

To Assistant Secretary, Drought Policy Branch

A new Australian Government Drought Plan

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the consultation draft of the Australian Governments
Drought Plan.

Queensland Cane Growers Organisation Ltd (CANEGROWERS) is a not-for-profit public company with the sole purpose of promoting and protecting the interests of sugarcane growers since its inception in 1925.

CANEGROWERS is the peak body for the sugarcane industry. Our affiliations at the State, National and International level combined with 13 district offices in Queensland ensures that services and advocacy are provided in local communities as well as at the highest levels of industry and government decision-making.

CANEGROWERS wishes to highlight the need for a drought plan that fully implements recommendation three of the review and recognises the disparate impacts drought can have on the different industries that make up Australian agriculture and ensure that government programs and actions are tailored to these differences.

In response to the questions in the discussion paper, CANEGROWERS provides the following:

Question 1: Is the Australian Government’s approach to drought across the drought cycle clear in the draft plan?

Of the four pillars of the drought plan, the second pillar provides a general outline of the government's responsibilities across the drought cycle. Mostly the plan includes general principles and ideas, which are relatively clear.

Sugarcane is generally grown in high rainfall areas and drought is not a regular or expected issue.
However, extreme drought conditions in any one year can create a situation similar to any other natural disaster. Sugarcane once planted will be ratooned (harvested each year without replanting) for up to five years thus only 15% to 20% of the farm area is generally replanted each year. If the intensity of the drought causes the crop roots (stool) to die, then the cycle of replanting is broken and the whole area would need to be replanted which is economically disastrous for the farmer.

It is also likely that this effect would be across a wide area in any one region or mill area and thus the local sugar mill which relies upon consistently sufficient cane supply and therefore the local community would be severely affected.