R[0]="2125";

T[0]="Renewable energy research centre funding slashed";

A[0]="By ... Editor";

Dn[0]="20021211";

Dt[0]="Wednesday 11 December 2002";

Acats[0]="a05a07a36a94";

B1[0]="      The Federal Government's renewable energy research program was shut down yesterday in a move which its head said was a reflection of ";

B2[0]="'changes in priority'... ";

B3[0]=" ";

B4[0]=" ";

B5[0]=" ";

S1[0]="      The Federal Government's renewable energy research program was shut down yesterday in a move which its head said was a reflection of ";

S2[0]=" 'changes in priority'.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Co-operative Research Centre for Renewable Energy, based at Murdoch University in Perth, was established in 1996 with funding ";

S3[0]=" of over $10 million.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; But the centre's staff, who have been working on fuel cell and energy distribution projects, were yesterday told ";

S4[0]=" by the Minister for Science, Peter McGauran, that their funding would not be renewed.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The centre's head, Frank Reid, said the decision ";

S5[0]=" had come as a surprise and was 'a great disappointment'.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dr Reid said: 'We do work of national significance and in an ";

S6[0]=" area that has been a priority for the Government.' The move reflected a change in the Government's attitude towards renewable energy, he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S7[0]=" &nbsp; '[The Government is] moving towards exploring clean coal rather than looking at alternatives like solar and wind.' Greens Senator Bob Brown said the decision ";

S8[0]=" was a tragedy and that the remaining research faculties and renewable energy companies would not survive 'unless the Government turns off the flood of money ";

S9[0]=" to its coal industry mates and makes a serious commitment to environmentally sustainable renewable energy'... ";

R[1]="2124";

T[1]="WA farmers missout on drought aid";

A[1]="By ... Editor";

Dn[1]="20021211";

Dt[1]="Wednesday 11 December 2002";

Acats[1]="a05a07a35a67";

B1[1]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Many West Australian farmers have missed out on the Federal Government's drought aid package, rural groups say.... ";

B2[1]=" ";

B3[1]=" ";

B4[1]=" ";

B5[1]=" ";


S1[1]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Many West Australian farmers have missed out on the Federal Government's drought aid package, rural groups say.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The farm ";

S2[1]=" lobby group, WAFarmers, accused the Government yesterday of tailoring its $368 million drought package for NSW with an eye on next year's State poll.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S3[1]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; President Colin Nicholl said he thought WA would have only 10 to 20 farmers eligible for the package, which Federal Agriculture Minister Warren ";

S4[1]=" Truss said would benefit 62,000 of the nation's 100,000 farmers of whom 10,000 are in WA.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Nicholl said the criteria favoured ";

S5[1]=" small, livestock-based farms.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; But most of the drought-hit farms in WA were big grain-producing farms which had shares in national wheat marketer ";

S6[1]=" AWB.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The shares were integral to wheatgrowing but were classed as off-farm assets and put them over the $200,000 threshold.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S7[1]=" &nbsp; He said the package announced on Monday was a breakthrough.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; It provides interest rate relief on new and existing loans up ";

S8[1]=" to $100,000 for small businesses in declared exceptional circumstance areas and to farms in areas suffering once-in-20-years rainfall deficiencies as well as income support and ";

S9[1]=" work-for-the-dole provisions.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Government should not hand out money willy-nilly but if the package was not taken up in WA the criteria ";

S10[1]=" should be changed so the money could flow, he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Four areas in WA are declared exceptional circumstances zones and the State ";

S11[1]=" Government is believed to be preparing applications for two other areas.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; But Mr Nicholl said only $1 million of the $16 million ";

S12[1]=" set aside for funding in the north-eastern Wheatbelt zone in March this year had so far made its way to farmers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A ";

S13[1]=" spokesman for Mr Truss said the package would give State Governments time to prepare applications to make areas eligible for exceptional circumstances relief.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S14[1]=" &nbsp; He said that there might be farmers in WA who would not be eligible for the full interest rate relief due to the size ";

S15[1]=" of their loans but the package was not intended as a permanent solution.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The State Government has welcomed the package, especially support ";

S16[1]=" for small businesses in drought areas, but is seeking clarification why some shires were excluded.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; WA National Party leader Max Trenorden said ";

S17[1]=" he had written to Mr Howard asking him to include 15 WA shires beset by drought.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; WAFarmers said the shires of Beverley, ";

S18[1]=" Cue, Dumbleyung, Kellerberrin, Mt Magnet, Mullewa, Murchison, Northampton, Quairading, Sandstone, Shark Bay, Tammin, Trayning, Upper Gascoyne, Westonia, Wyalkatchem and Yilgarn should be included... ";

R[2]="2122";

T[2]="Federal Government's research boost for tourism";

A[2]="By ... Editor";

Dn[2]="20021211";

Dt[2]="Wednesday 11 December 2002";

Acats[2]="a05a07a44";

B1[2]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Federal Government today announced $26.7 million in additional funding for the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sustainable Tourism to help tackle ";

B2[2]="the lack of research and development (R&D) by the industry... ";

B3[2]=" ";

B4[2]=" ";

B5[2]=" ";

S1[2]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Federal Government today announced $26.7 million in additional funding for the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sustainable Tourism to help tackle ";

S2[2]=" the lack of research and development (R&D) by the industry.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The CRC for Sustainable Tourism is Australia's only scientific research and development ";


S3[2]=" facility managing and delivering research to support the sustainability of tourism.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tourism is Australia's fourth largest industry and contributes $26.3 billion to ";

S4[2]=" our economy.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In addition it is our single biggest exporter.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The CRC will provide leadership in strategic research, maximising ";

S5[2]=" the economic, environmental and social benefits of tourism to the Australian community.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; It will help to foster a new generation of tourism ";

S6[2]=" industry leaders and experts who will take the industry into a new period of sustainable growth.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The research programme covers a range ";

S7[2]=" of issues faced by small and large operators, tourism destination and natural resource managers, land custodians and the other stakeholders in the industry.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S8[2]=" &nbsp; A major aim of the CRC will be to improve economic and environmental performance of tourism enterprises - especially small and medium sized tourism ";

S9[2]=" enterprises - by development and diffusion of knowledge and technology.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; One of the biggest challenges for tourism is that the $32 billion ";

S10[2]=" tourism industry spent only $5m on research and development in1999-2000.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The industry lacks the necessary investment in innovation to improve profitability through ";

S11[2]=" increased productivity.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This poor provision of research and development is seen by the industry as a major contributor to business failure (particularly ";

S12[2]=" at the small business end of the industry) and to the almost non-existent levels of institutional investment in the industry.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In response ";

S13[2]=" to this and other challenges the Federal Government is developing a White Paper for the tourism industry.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This ten-year plan will look ";

S14[2]=" at the structural issues confronting the future growth of the industry.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The tourism industry is clearly experiencing difficult times but the summer ";

S15[2]=" holiday season should see a welcome influx of visitors to many destinations and hopefully regional areas suffering from the economic downturn of the drought will ";

S16[2]=" receive a boost... ";

R[3]="2121";

T[3]="Queensland farmers angry at drought aid exclusion";

A[3]="By ... Editor";

Dn[3]="20021211";

Dt[3]="Wednesday 11 December 2002";

Acats[3]="a05a07a35a66";

B1[3]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farmers in some of Queensland's drought-declared shires are bitter over the Federal Government's decision to exclude them from the drought rescue package.... ";

B2[3]=" ";

B3[3]=" ";

B4[3]=" ";

B5[3]=" ";

S1[3]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farmers in some of Queensland's drought-declared shires are bitter over the Federal Government's decision to exclude them from the drought rescue package.<BR> ";

S2[3]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; State Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said he had called for an audit of rainfall in all shires to see if others ";

S3[3]=" would qualify under the new federal scheme.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Queensland has 52 drought-declared shires, two part drought-declared shires and a further 484 individual properties ";

S4[3]=" which are also officially in drought.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; While the Commonwealth has also named 52 shires as eligible for the new assistance, it does ";

S5[3]=" not include areas from the Livingstone Shire, north of Rockhampton, through to the Stanthorpe Shire on the border.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, it has included ";

S6[3]=" parts of north Queensland and Mt Isa which have not been officially drought-declared by the State Government.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Palaszczuk said he was ";


S7[3]=" seeking clarification from the Federal Government but said the assistance was a 'step in the right direction'.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Rosalie Shire grazier Neville McNalty ";

S8[3]=" believes the shire should qualify for the new drought relief, but the shire has been left out.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Rosalie is drought-declared by the ";

S9[3]=" State Government and the southern part has qualified for exceptional circumstances relief but the shire failed to qualify for the new package.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S10[3]=" The McNaltys have sold half their cattle since July as food and water became scarce.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The family property 'The Palms' at Cooyar, ";

S11[3]=" 80km north of Toowoomba, has developed an Angus herd producing export cattle for the Japanese market and is desperately trying to hang on to the ";

S12[3]=" breeding herd, which would take 10 years to rebuild.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'We've spent $12,000 on hay since July and now we're feeding 35 month-old ";

S13[3]=" calves to take the pressure off their mothers,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The outlook is pretty grim.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The community is starting ";

S14[3]=" to feel down in the dumps.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; If you mention weather they won't talk because they're sick of hearing about cattle dying.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S15[3]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; 'If we could get EC we'd get some income like the dole and we could apply for interest subsidy.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; We ";

S16[3]=" need EC and 15 inches (400mm) of rain.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; So far we haven't qualified for any drought aid.' AgForce said several more Queensland ";

S17[3]=" shires should have been included in the Federal Government's new relief package, allowing the whole state to be declared eligible for extra drought relief.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S18[3]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; The farm lobby group is gathering rainfall information and will present it to the Federal Government tomorrow so the extra shires can be ";

S19[3]=" added to one-in-20-year droughted areas qualifying for extra help.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'We know there are shires not on the list that should be there.<BR> ";

S20[3]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I would not be surprised if there were another 10 or 20 shires added to the list,' AgForce president Larry Acton said ";

S21[3]=" yesterday.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Acton said even more shires were close to qualifying early in the new year, which could bring Queensland to the ";

S22[3]=" 80 per cent threshold for the whole state to qualify.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Federal package effectively eases EC criteria so that droughted farmers can ";

S23[3]=" claim the equivalent of job start, or $676 per fortnight and up to $5,000 interest subsidy on new loans up to $100,000.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S24[3]=" Drought affected Darling Downs shires are included in the relief measures announced yesterday but the shires were omitted from a map released yesterday... ";

R[4]="2119";

T[4]="Victorian farmers offered emergency cash help";

A[4]="By ... Editor";

Dn[4]="20021211";

Dt[4]="Wednesday 11 December 2002";

Acats[4]="a05a07a35";

B1[4]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; About 3000 Victorian farmers battling severe drought are expected to apply for emergency income assistance valued at up to $8710 each under ";

B2[4]="a Federal Government drought rescue package... ";

B3[4]=" ";

B4[4]=" ";

B5[4]=" ";

S1[4]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; About 3000 Victorian farmers battling severe drought are expected to apply for emergency income assistance valued at up to $8710 each under ";

S2[4]=" a Federal Government drought rescue package.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The farmers are in 39 regions of the state that are encountering a once-in-20-years drought, including ";


S3[4]=" Strathbogie Shire and parts of Murrindindi and Whittlesea Shires.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Farmers close to Melbourne in Pakenham, Berwick and Cranbourne also will be eligible ";

S4[4]=" for the funds, worth at least $670 a fortnight for a farming couple over six months.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The 'interim income assistance' is part ";

S5[4]=" of an extra $368 million in drought relief announced yesterday by Prime Minister John Howard.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The measures include interest-rate subsidies on loans ";

S6[4]=" of up to $100,000 to help farmers replant once the drought breaks, to buy new animals and to keep intact key breeding herds.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S7[4]=" &nbsp; Half of a farmer's interest bill on commercial loans would be paid for under the loans scheme.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Struggling farming families could ";

S8[4]=" also receive a health care card and youth allowance and family tax benefit payments.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Agriculture Minister Warren Truss said more than 62,000 ";

S9[4]=" farmers around Australia would benefit from the package, which comes on top of $360 million of disaster relief funding for farmers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; If ";

S10[4]=" the farmers live in areas that subsequently are declared eligible for 'exceptional circumstances' funding, the interim income assistance would continue for another 18 months.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S11[4]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; Small businesses in drought-affected areas also could be eligible for interest-rate subsidies under which the Commonwealth would pay half of their interest bill ";

S12[4]=" for two years on loans of up to $100,000.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The government will extend the work-for-the-dole scheme in a bid to keep unemployed ";

S13[4]=" people in country areas from moving to the cities and reducing the local labour force.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Under the 'Droughtforce' program, the unemployed would ";

S14[4]=" be given tasks on drought-affected properties.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Howard said about three-quarters of the country was facing either severe drought or a major ";

S15[4]=" rainfall deficiency.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Some areas were experiencing the worst conditions in 100 years.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'When a drought of this severity affects ";

S16[4]=" Australia, we must not only provide income support for people who are left without income, but we must also provide them with the wherewithal to ";

S17[4]=" maintain their breeding stock and also lay the basis for recovery,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'A drought of this severity robs country towns and ";

S18[4]=" their businesses of the liquidity and purchasing power that is in the hands of farmers when they are enjoying better times, and it is therefore ";

S19[4]=" very important that small businesses in areas that are declared as being in 'exceptional circumstances' receive some kind of support,' he said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S20[4]=" The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates the drought will cut the value of agricultural production by about $5.1 billion this financial year.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S21[4]=" Scientists believe the drought will not break until March.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Howard warned: 'Even if it poured tomorrow and the heavens opened and ";

S22[4]=" the rivers flowed again, it would be quite a while before people were able to get out of it.' Cabinet took more than a week ";

S23[4]=" to finalise the drought relief package, mainly because of differences between ministers on how much it would cost.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Some ministers fear that ";

S24[4]=" the relief package, which is open-ended, could blow out to cost $1.5 billion.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The cost of the package - $728 million over ";

S25[4]=" three years - has been calculated on the basis that the drought will break next March.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; But if it does not, the ";

S26[4]=" cost of the package could increase dramatically.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson said yesterday that he and Mr Truss would meet bank ";

S27[4]=" leaders next week and urge them not to foreclose on struggling farmers... ";

R[5]="2102";

T[5]="Federal drought relief package";

A[5]="By ... Editor";

Dn[5]="20021210";

Dt[5]="Tuesday 10 December 2002";

Acats[5]="a05a07a35";


B1[5]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; More than 62,000 farmers around Australia, as well as many small businesses in regional areas, will benefit from the Federal Government's additional ";

B2[5]="drought relief package, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss, said yesterday... ";

B3[5]=" ";

B4[5]=" ";

B5[5]=" ";

S1[5]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; More than 62,000 farmers around Australia, as well as many small businesses in regional areas, will benefit from the Federal Government's additional ";

S2[5]=" drought relief package, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss, said yesterday.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Today's announcement by the Prime Minister demonstrates the ";

S3[5]=" determined effort on the part of the Commonwealth to provide immediate and practical assistance to drought-affected farmers and small businesses,' Mr Truss said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S4[5]=" &nbsp; 'Drought is a part of the natural cycle of farming in Australia, but the severe and extremely widespread impact of this current event has ";

S5[5]=" necessitated a special response.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The failure of State governments to show any commitment to support those suffering the consequences of drought has ";

S6[5]=" made extra Federal Government help all the more necessary.' Under the measures announced today by the Prime Minister, eligible farmers in severely drought-affected areas will ";

S7[5]=" have access to new income and business assistance, while small businesses will join farmers in having access to Interest Rate Relief in areas declared to ";

S8[5]=" be in Exceptional Circumstances (EC).<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In addition, new initiatives have been announced to assist employees and apprentices in drought-affected communities.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S9[5]=" &nbsp; 'For the first time, eligible farmers will be able to access Interim Income Support and Interest Rate Relief from the Commonwealth in advance of ";

S10[5]=" their State government lodging an application for Exceptional Circumstances (EC),' Mr Truss said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Commonwealth Interim Income Support will now be made available ";

S11[5]=" for six months to all eligible farmers in areas suffering a one in 20-year rainfall deficiency over the nine months March 2002-November 2002.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S12[5]=" &nbsp; 'Because over 80 per cent of farmers in NSW fall into this category, the Commonwealth has decided to declare the entire State eligible for ";

S13[5]=" Interim Income Support.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (A list of the areas to benefit is attached.) 'If another State reaches the 80 per cent trigger used ";

S14[5]=" in NSW, a similar declaration will be made.' Mr Truss said that, in addition to making it easier for severely drought-affected farmers to access income ";

S15[5]=" support, the Commonwealth has also introduced a significant new measure to assist farmers meet the cost of stock feed and to manage drought recovery.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S16[5]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Farmers in EC-declared areas, and those currently in receipt of Interim Income Support, as well as those in areas who meet the new ";

S17[5]=" Commonwealth criteria, will be eligible for Interest Rate Relief for two years on new and additional commercial loans of up to $100,000 at a rate ";

S18[5]=" equivalent to five percentage points or 50 per cent of the prevailing interest rate.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'This will provide direct support, especially to farmers ";

S19[5]=" experiencing difficulty due to the high price of fodder and stock feed.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ensuring that the nation retains its core breeding stock is ";

S20[5]=" a high priority, and these loans will help our farmers to preserve that stock.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'If Exceptional Circumstances is subsequently declared, farmers will ";

S21[5]=" still also be eligible to apply for the existing EC business support measure of a 50 per cent interest subsidy for two years.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; ";

S22[5]=" &nbsp; 'The Federal Government has also recognised that drought is ravaging not only primary producers, but is impacting heavily on rural and regional businesses as ";

S23[5]=" well.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'Eligible small businesses in EC-declared areas will receive Interest Rate Relief of five percentage points or 50 per cent of the ";

S24[5]=" prevailing interest rate on new or existing commercial loans up to $100,000.' Minister Truss said that these new initiatives will be delivered through Centrelink, and ";

S25[5]=" the usual concessions to the assets and income tests will apply.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'I would like to acknowledge the input of the National Farmers' ";

S26[5]=" Federation to these new initiatives and the strong representations of my Coalition colleagues who represent rural Australia.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'I should also acknowledge the ";


S27[5]=" work within my own department, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia (AFFA), of the Drought Task Force, the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) and the ";

S28[5]=" Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), which has been vital in developing the Federal Government response to the current drought.' Mr Truss said ";

S29[5]=" that existing and future applications for Exceptional Circumstances assistance would continue to be processed under the normal criteria, with detailed assessment involving independent advice from ";

S30[5]=" the National Rural Advisory Council (NRAC).<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'States should use this six months' interim relief period to prepare any further applications for Exceptional ";

R[6]="2094";

T[6]="Farm Management Deposit changes to ease drought burden";

A[6]="By ... Editor";

Dn[6]="20021209";

Dt[6]="Monday 9 December 2002";

Acats[6]="a05a07a35";

B1[6]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Drought affected farmers will receive further assistance from the Federal Government with the introduction of legislation today to make access to Farm ";

B2[6]="Management Deposits (FMDs) easier... ";

B3[6]=" ";

B4[6]=" ";

B5[6]=" ";

S1[6]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Drought affected farmers will receive further assistance from the Federal Government with the introduction of legislation today to make access to Farm ";

S2[6]=" Management Deposits (FMDs) easier.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss, and the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, Senator Helen Coonan, today announced ";

S3[6]=" the introduction of amendments to tax legislation that governs the Farm Management Deposits (FMDs) scheme to allow farmers in Exceptional Circumstances (EC) areas to access ";

S4[6]=" any FMDs that are less than 12 months old and keep the tax benefits.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The partial withdrawal of FMD monies will also ";

S5[6]=" be permitted without affecting the benefits that accrue to the remaining money,' Mr Truss said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The Government believes farmers in EC areas ";

S6[6]=" and recognised buffer zones who are new to the scheme should not lose access to the very benefits that attracted them to the scheme in ";

S7[6]=" the first place.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'With more and more farmers using FMDs to put money away in good times in preparation for bad, it ";

S8[6]=" makes sense to assist them now with large parts of the country in the grip of severe drought.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Many farmers and other ";

S9[6]=" primary producers who have taken advantage of the scheme since its inception in 1999 are now reaping the benefits.' Another amendment will mean that any ";

S10[6]=" FMD product priced for less than 12 months will still be considered an FMD providing it is rolled over continuously for a 12-month period.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S11[6]=" &nbsp; &nbsp;  'The issue of the term of individual deposits was identified in a recent FMD review and has been of concern to farmers, ";

S12[6]=" so I am pleased to be able to respond,' Senator Coonan said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The management of FMDs demonstrates that primary producers are maximising ";

S13[6]=" flexibility by choosing an FMD product that best suits their individual cash flow and management needs.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This decision also resolves the current ";

S14[6]=" uncertainty as to the term of a deposit.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The FMD scheme has been extremely successful and provided real benefits to farmers.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S15[6]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; It is estimated that farmers will have received a tax benefit of around $470 million through the scheme in 2002/03,' Senator Coonan said... ";

R[7]="2093";


T[7]="Final tranche from AWB";

A[7]="By ... Editor";

Dn[7]="20021209";

Dt[7]="Monday 9 December 2002";

Acats[7]="a07a22";

B1[7]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wheat growers using AWB Basis Pool are poised to achieve good returns this season, following the announcement of the third and final ";

B2[7]="tranche result for the 2001/02 Basis Pool... ";

B3[7]=" ";

B4[7]=" ";

B5[7]=" ";

S1[7]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wheat growers using AWB Basis Pool are poised to achieve good returns this season, following the announcement of the third and final ";

S2[7]=" tranche result for the 2001/02 Basis Pool.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AWB Limited Group General Manager Trading Peter Geary said AWB had delivered a basis of ";

S3[7]=" 55c/bu US cents per bushel for the third tranche of the Basis Pool contract.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The result puts the final weighted average basis ";

S4[7]=" for the life of the Pool at 42.13c/bu.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'The basis represents the average premium achieved by AWB for its international wheat sales ";

S5[7]=" above Chicago wheat futures, and the final average of 42.13 cents is an excellent result given what has been a tough international market environment,' Mr ";

S6[7]=" Geary said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AWB will be making a third tranche payment to growers of $43.14 per tonne for benchmark APW wheat (10% protein, ";

S7[7]=" 5% screenings), taking total payments for APW to $232.64/t.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'For growers to determine their own AWB Basis Pool returns so far, they ";

S8[7]=" should include their individual wheat futures and currency hedging results,' Mr Geary said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'However, some growers using AWB Basis Pool Plus are ";

S9[7]=" now set to receive in excess of $260/t (FOB, GST exclusive) for APW wheat, having successfully managed their own price risk since April last year ";

S10[7]=" by using AWB Basis Pool plus riskassist,' Mr Geary said.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AWB's third tranche payment is calculated using a December Chicago Board of ";

S11[7]=" Trade futures settlement rate of 380.5 cents per bushel, and an AUD/USD currency hedge settlement rate of 0.5564 cents.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AWB Basis Pool ";

S12[7]=" gives growers the opportunity to access the benefits of the active management of AWB National Pool and the Single Desk system, and at the same ";

S13[7]=" time choose the timing of their wheat futures and currency hedging.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AWB riskassist provides growers an all-encompassing service which complements the AWB ";

S14[7]=" Basis Pool, including wheat futures and currency management, financing of hedge positions and balanced advice on hedging with futures.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The 2003/04 Basis ";

S15[7]=" Pool contracts are now open, and growers wanting to generate their own returns through AWB Basis Pool should contact their local AWB area office... ";

R[8]="2090";

T[8]="More grain growers trading on-line";

A[8]="By ... Editor";

Dn[8]="20021130";

Dt[8]="Saturday 30 November 2002";

Acats[8]="a07a22a46a79";


B1[8]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The demise of country bank branches and the rapid rise in electronic banking via the telephone and Internet has helped farmers take ";

B2[8]="on a whole new approach to selling their crops - doing it online... ";

B3[8]=" ";

B4[8]=" ";

B5[8]=" ";

S1[8]="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The demise of country bank branches and the rapid rise in electronic banking via the telephone and Internet has helped farmers take ";

S2[8]=" on a whole new approach to selling their crops - doing it online.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In some districts up to 90 per cent of ";

S3[8]=" grain delivered to GrainCorp's NSW silos at harvest is now held in warehousing 'accounts' as growers weigh up sale options available from a host of ";

S4[8]=" grain millers and traders posting prices at local sites.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Within days of delivery much of the cargo is transferred to buyers by ";

S5[8]=" growers using computers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The home-based trading option has been made possible by last year's introduction of the GrainCorp Online website, which allows ";

S6[8]=" growers to check their delivery figures and make warehouse transfers to buyers.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; While a cash market is not possible on-line yet, the ";

S7[8]=" service proved so popular among farmers delivering to pools or fulfilling contract obligations last year that GrainCorp's central computer system had to be upgraded for ";

S8[8]=" this harvest.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, GrainCorp Online has been kept basic and functional to assist download times in country areas where Internet speeds are ";

S9[8]=" often frustrated by older telephone line technology.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'There's nothing too difficult required of the grower - it's pretty much like Internet banking ";

S10[8]=" - but we were a bit surprised how fast it caught on last year,' said GrainCorp's corporate services manager and com­pany secretary, Nigel Hart.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S11[8]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; Mr Hart said one the main factors driving the average 30pc uptake in Internet grain management by GrainCorp customers was the speed with ";

S12[8]=" which crops were harvested and the extent to which contract grain carriers were employed to deliver to silos.<BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Growers were reluctant to ";

S13[8]=" make selling decisions in advance if they were not personally delivering grain to the silo, especially given the range of price options needing consideration.<BR> &nbsp; ";

S14[8]=" &nbsp; &nbsp; 'We have around 60 to 100 different buyers operating at our silos across the State, with some sites offering growers up to 20 ";

S15[8]=" delivery options,' Mr Hart said... ";