No one can deny the good feeling that comes after helping out someone in dire need. We’ve seen it in the huge national appeals, smaller crowd funding efforts and community events, all designed with one purpose: helping our farmers.
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It’s been a huge effort, one the entire nation has embraced wholeheartedly. It demonstrates how seriously we take the drought. And so we should.
With water storage levels falling at an alarming rate, we should expect water restrictions to be imposed on regions across NSW sooner rather than later.
Just this week Shoalhaven has introduced level 1 restrictions. Sydney Water will doubtless be forced to follow suit, with some of its dam levels precariously depleted.
One doesn’t have to go far to see the effects of the lack of rain. As someone commented the other day, where there were once green lawns and pastures, it is now almost uniformly brown. In some places it looks as if Round-up has been sprayed, so burnt and dead is the grass.
Peak farming bodies such as the National Farmers Federation are pulling no punches in recognising the severity of the drought and pointing to climate change as a major factor. The federation recognises that while farmers need immediate relief to ride out the big dry, more long-term action to future-proof agriculture from the effects of climate change. Yet still there are those in government who play down or deny the effects of global warming. It was not that long ago when our new prime minister waved around a lump of coal in the House of Representatives in an ill-considered theatrical act to denigrate those calling for its phase-out in energy production.
The inability of the government to agree on its energy and climate policy saw it tear itself apart last, risking possible extinction at the next federal election. For many of us watching the ugly proceedings, it appeared the climate dinosaurs were determined to ensure their own demise. The danger is through their inaction they’ll hasten our downfall as well. Climate change is no longer a fringe concern – indeed, it hasn’t been for decades. Those in power who would characterise it as such should not have their hands on the machinery of government.
We are happy to help our farmers and not just because we are kind-hearted. They provide the sustenance upon which we all rely. We are in this climate emergency together.
