Farmers who receive exceptional circumstances payments and who meet other eligibility criteria can also access the following remissions for their principal place of residence:

• up to $190 on council rates, or pastoral or perpetual lease costs outside of local government areas;
• $40 on Emergency Services Levy payments;
• up to $95 on both water and sewerage charges; and
• up to $120 per annum on energy costs, including reimbursement for energy costs for off grid users where receipts are provided. 

For further information about ‘Concessions’ call the Concessions Hotline on
1800 307 758 or visit www.familiesandcommunities.sa.gov.au 

Information is also available by phoning the Drought Link hotline on 180 2020 or by logging onto http://www.service.sa.gov.au/drought

Rural women facing the hardship of drought are being encouraged to seek confidential support through the Women’s Information Service (WIS).

The WIS is a free and confidential support service for women in South Australia. Staff and volunteers are fully trained and experienced in providing advice to women about a range of issues, including:

• family life and relationships
• domestic violence 
• legal information
• health, safety and accommodation
• financial security and independence
• life-style, culture and social interests
• education, training and career paths.

WIS staff take as much time as needed to discuss each situation. Women can also call WIS if they need help and don’t know where to start, or are unsure which services can assist them.

Call 1800 188 158, Monday – Friday, 8.30 am – 5.30 pm or visit www.wis.sa.gov.au

Minister for the River Murray, Karlene Maywald, has announced that River Murray irrigation allocations for 2007/08 will remain at 16 percent, as below-average rainfall continues to result in extremely low inflows into the Murray-Darling Basin.

Minister Maywald also urged all irrigators not to delay making decisions on how to best manage the situation for their properties.

River Murray inflows during September 2007 were the fifth lowest on record at 210 GL, only 14 percent of the long-term median of 1460 GL, and at this stage October inflows are likely to be just as low.

The volume of water held in storage within the four major Murray-Darling Basin reservoirs is currently 22 percent, compared with the average of 75 percent for this time of year.

Further increases to allocations during summer are unlikely due to continued extreme drought conditions across the catchment.

More information about conditions in the River Murray and wider Murray-Darling Basin can be found at www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au or through the Drought Link Hotline on 180 20 20.

Riverland irrigators are being urged to make decisions on how best to manage their water allocations, in the wake of allocations remaining at 16 percent.

PIRSA’s recently formed River Murray Drought Response Team is working with local industry groups and individual irrigators to assist them with their decision making.

"We urge growers to access all the available information and assistance being made available, in terms of practical, financial and social support," said Program Manager, Greg Cock.

"Growers may wish to come along to two seminars being run by PIRSA and Centrelink in conjunction with the Riverland Horticulture Reference Forum, this Saturday (November 3) to find out more about the assistance available."

The first seminar will be held in the Berri Town Hall at 10 am and the second will be at the Glossop Gurdwara Temple at 2 pm.

Riverland growers and farmers are being invited to attend two seminars to explain the range of government assistance available to help people through the drought.

The sessions are free for all to attend and will outline the financial assistance and social support offered by the Federal and South Australian Governments.

The two seminars will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2007.

• The first will be held in the Berri Town Hall, 19 Wilson Street, Berri at 10 am. (Interpreters will be provided if requested. Contact Cuc Ho at Centrelink (08) 8401 3251 or cuc-diep.c.ho@centrelink.gov.au)
• An afternoon seminar will be conducted at the Glossop Gurdwara Temple, Sturt Highway, Glossop at 2 pm. (A Punjabi translator will be provided at this session.)

The seminars are being jointly conducted by PIRSA and Centrelink.

Contact Duncan Tullett for more details on 8595 9100.

A new survey shows that South Australian citrus growers are taking significant measures to ensure that they are in the best possible position to manage through the drought.

The survey commissioned by the SA Citrus Industry Development Board (SACIDB), with part funding from Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA), was developed to gain a better understanding of drought management and its impact on the level of citrus tree removals, water usage and other management practices being implemented by growers.

In total, 76 growers were surveyed from across the Riverland, representing approximately 50% of this State’s citrus plantings.

Almost half the growers surveyed are continuing to upgrade their irrigation systems while many more are reducing tree canopy size in an attempt to reduce water usage.

Indications were that approximately 12% of current citrus plantings would be removed, with another 4% “mothballed”.

These changes are expected to result in a 2008/2009 citrus crop possibly 33% smaller than experienced in 2006/2007.

Please note that this survey was conducted prior to the recent water allocation announcement.

The State Government has appointed Mr Brenton Parsons as Drought Co-ordinator for the Eyre Peninsula (EP).

Mr Parsons has been extensively involved with the Eyre Peninsula community for many years, most recently as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the District Council of Cleve.
 
As Drought Co-ordinator for the EP, he will co-ordinate drought related initiatives on behalf of the community where his leadership and people skills will be invaluable.

He’ll become the main point of contact for farmers to go to for help on drought related matters and support the work of the Eyre Peninsula Drought Taskforce.

Two other Drought Co-ordinators for the River Murray and the Northern region are expected to be appointed soon.

A Drought Force Programme initiated by the Australian Government has been introduced to help drought affected farms with their workforce needs.

The programme provides unemployed rural workers with income support while they work on drought affected farms.

For more information visit www.workplace.gov.au/droughtforce or phone the drought force hotline on 1800 004 226.

Current domestic water restrictions will continue into November as drought conditions worsen in the Murray-Darling Basin and Adelaide Hills.

Householders can continue to use drippers and hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle for up to three hours a week, even houses on Saturdays, odds on Sundays from 6–9 am or 5–8 pm.

Watering cans and buckets can be used at any time, but sprinklers will continue to be banned.

All other Level 3 restrictions for car washing, swimming pools, fountains and ponds remain unchanged. There are no restrictions on the use of rainwater.

A target for water consumption has been set and if consumption remains below this target then the current restrictions will be able to be maintained through summer. The target for Adelaide water consumption graph will be updated weekly and available at www.sawater.com.au

Drought E-News is a regular newsletter updating the State Government’s drought response. If you’ve been forwarded this E-News and you would like to subscribe, click on the link below, complete the details and you will receive drought E-News in the future.

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