GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS EXIT GRANT ACT OF GRACE RESOLUTION
Posted in Media on Thursday, 9 February, 2012
The Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie and Member for Mallee John Forrest have welcomed Federal Government support of Act of Grace eligibility for farm exit grant farmers who exchanged property sale contracts prior to 10 August 2011.
Mr Forrest seconded the original private members resolution that culminated in the motion in Parliament early today that the Government provide Act of Grace payments to farmers who have sold their farms through exchange of contracts by 10 August 2011.
“The amendments in the debate on the Exceptional Circumstances Exit Grants Program got through, especially the second clause,” Mr Forrest said.
“This is a victory for persistence and getting justice.
“Now, the hard task applying for Act of Grace can begin in earnest for those who had contracted for sale before 10 August 2011.
“It will be a travesty if these good people who sold their properties in good faith did not receive recompense under Act of Grace. Hopefully, we’ll get a few more over the line.”
Senator McKenzie said she was cautiously optimistic upon hearing the Federal Government had agreed to make Act of Grace payments available to farmers caught up in Labor’s farm funding fiasco.
“Many farming families were left in the lurch when the Gillard Government suspended its farm exit grants program just weeks into the scheme,” Senator McKenzie said.
“I welcome the Government’s commitment to provide payments to those who exchanged sales contracts on or before 10 August 2011. It must be stressed these families did so in good faith, based on their grant pre-assessments.
“Given the serious degree of under-funding one wonders just how serious Labor was about the program in the first place.
“It is pleasing the Coalition successfully brokered an improved outcome however I harbour concerns these payments won’t reach everyone burned by Labor’s failed scheme.”
In the May 2011 Budget, the Labor Government announced the extension of the Exceptional Circumstance Exit Grants program but less than six weeks later, even after being allocated another $14 million, the program was suddenly shut on 10 August 2011.
“Sales that had not been completed by that date were suddenly not eligible for exit grants, causing enormous grief,” Mr Forrest said.
Mr Forrest said rural financial counsellors were already preparing Act of Grace submissions for about 10 clients in Mallee Electorate. There could be more now it was known that sale contracts signed prior to 10 August created eligibility (the original ruling was that sales had to be completed by 10 August).
He urged flexibility and patience in processing Act of Grace applications because of the enormous amount of information required in a process not familiar to rural financial counsellors.
Mr Forrest can be contacted on 0428 500 186.