In light of the persistent drought conditions, the minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development has reached out to the Commonwealth government to seek clarity regarding the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) hardship provisions.

Minister Clare Scriven confirmed this to The [Naracoorte] News after being asked about the support her office was providing to drought-stricken farmers in the region.

Earlier this month, Naracoorte-based accountant Abby Miller penned an emotional appeal to South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas, stressing the critical need for a formal drought declaration.

She argued that such a move was vital to guarantee timely assistance for all sectors of the rural community currently grappling with severe impacts.

“In my work as an accountant, I see the cost of this drought up close. My days are spent less on numbers and more on people,” she wrote in her letter, which was read in the Upper House by shadow minister for Regional South Australia, Nicola Centofanti.

“Clients walk through my door not to finalise their tax returns, but because they need a safe space to cry, to exhale, to be heard.

“And I sit with them, because if I don’t, who will?”

Ms Miller said the accountants were under immense pressure from the ATO to meet the 85 percent lodgement deadline to keep their tax agent registrations.

“But how can we possibly do that when we are spending our hours helping others hold themselves together—emotionally, mentally, financially?

“And still, South Australia hasn’t been officially declared in drought. So, we can’t even request an extension.

“And when the lodgement deadlines are missed, who pays the price?”

Ms Scriven said her office had spoken to Ms Miller about her concerns.

“We have spoken with Ms Miller this week (last week) about her concerns, and we have reached out to the Commonwealth government to clarify the circumstances of the ATO’s hardship arrangements,” she said.

Ms Scriven highlighted that the official drought declarations have not been recognised in Australia since 2012.

“Current policy doesn’t require people to show they are in a ‘drought declared area’ to access support, and, instead, people in hardship can always access support.

“This government absolutely acknowledges that there is a severe drought affecting most of South Australia.

“We can’t make it rain, but we can provide support to communities doing it tough.”

She claimed that the state government’s $73 million drought support package touched on many of the issues raised by Ms Miller, including mental health support, financial support to help students affected by drought attend school excursions, funding to help support regional sports clubs affected by drought, and assistance to get fodder to those who needed it.

“We are also providing grants of $1,500 to rural small businesses that have suffered a significant downturn as a result of the drought.

“We encourage any rural small business going through tough times to reach out to one of our free Family and Business (FaB) mentors to best understand the support of offer that can be tailored to their circumstance.”

Background information

• Assistance is available for farmers through the Malinauskas government’s $73 million Drought Support Package, which has been designed in consultation with primary producers, farmers, and key industry bodies. Details of the package are available on the Department of Primary Industries and Regions website—www.pir.sa.gov.au.
• The package has been designed to complement existing Commonwealth assistance, which includes the farm household allowance, concessional loans, resilience planning, the farm management deposit scheme, and taxation measures. For more information about the range of support available, please visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regions website—www.pir.sa.gov.au.

This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 28 May 2025.
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