Government Assistance Measures Available for the Drought

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE MEASURES AVAILABLE FOR THE DROUGHT
Information and communication Status of Assistance
0800 numbers
providing
information and
advice
Inland Revenue has an Emergency Helpline to help
anyone with tax queries and disseminate advice.
Inland
Revenue
Inland Revenue’s Emergency Helplines are open
Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm, Saturday 9am – 1pm.
0800 numbers
providing
information and
advice
MSD has a Government Helpline for anyone wanting
information and access to services such as financial
assistance, stress counselling and other advice.
MSD MSD has activated the Government Helpline 0800
779 997.
As at 12 April, the line has received a total of 78 calls
since its activation on 14 February. For the week,
Monday 14 April to Saturday 12 April, the line
received 23 calls.
Media
communications
Costs are met to enable dissemination of key
information to the media for publication/broadcast.
MAF MAF has prepared a drought brochure. This was
included as a two-page insert in the March 18 edition
of Rural News. This brochure is also being
disseminated through the Rural Support Trusts.
MAF will be developing a 2-page spread on pasture
management and publicising this through the
Farmers Weekly / Rural News. This information will
include tips for farmers on what to do/not to do, best
ways of re-establishing permanent pastures on easy
& hill country and contact numbers for further advice.
MAF has released a media statement on animal
welfare. This will be included in the 22 April edition of
Farmers Weekly.
Individual and family support Status of Assistance
Late election of
provisional tax
estimates
Inland Revenue accepts late estimates of provisional
tax from those significantly affected by an adverse
event.
Inland
Revenue
Currently available. Recent feedback from Inland
Revenue suggests this assistance is the tax support
most requested by farmers.
Income equalisation
accounts
Enables farmers to smooth taxable income from year
to year by making deductible deposits to an income
equalisation account. Inland Revenue has several
discretions, including late deposits and early refunds
on a case-by-case basis.
Inland
Revenue
Currently available.
Self Assessed
Adverse Events
Income Equalisation
Scheme
Enables individuals who have money deposited in the
income equalisation scheme to make an early
withdrawal or deposit funds arising from forced sale of
livestock.
Inland
Revenue
Currently available.
Additional flexible
tax provisions
Inland Revenue can look at tax relief to taxpayers on
a case-by-case basis, including:
• Financial relief if the taxpayer is in ‘serious
hardship’. This allows taxpayers to enter into
instalment arrangements of Inland Revenue to
write off underlying tax in certain circumstances.
• Waiving penalties on late tax payments and
returns.
• Allowing taxpayers to make late re-estimations of
provisional tax.
• Waiving use-of-money interest on late tax
payments.
Inland
Revenue
Currently available.
Working for families Inland Revenue can look at instances where the Inland Currently available.
Tax Credits income has reduced or changed to ensure the
farming family received the correct entitlement, and
whether the frequency / date of the payments can be
changed.
Revenue
MSD
New Start Grants A one-off grant for families to permanently leave
commercial farming activities where the farm is no
longer viable.
MAF Under assessment.
Rural Assistance
Payments
This assistance is available to individuals who derive
the principal income directly or indirectly from a landbased
industry and are not producing sufficient
income to meet essential living costs. Individuals must
be either exiting the land-based industry or
considering its ongoing viability. Income and assets
tests apply.
MSD To date, 12 Rural Assistance Payments have been
provided (Central North Island:1, Waikato: 9, Bay of
Plenty: 1 and Canterbury: 1).
Psychosocial
recovery
Psychosocial support such as counselling can be
made available.
MSD Funding of $50,000 has been approved for Victim
Support to provide psychosocial support.
Local qualified and experienced counsellors are
available to talk to people affected by the drought.
These services are free and are administered
through Victim Support.
Benefit payments Financial assistance may be available to individuals
who meet certain criteria. For example, the
Unemployment Benefit for people who are
unemployed and available for work, or an Emergency
Benefit for people who meet an income and asset test
and are in hardship.
MSD This assistance is currently available.
Special Needs
Grants
This is a one-off payment for an essential need e.g.
food, clothing
MSD To date, 11 Special Needs Grants have been
(Central North Island: 4, Waikato: 5 and Taranaki: 2).
Other financial
assistance
Depending on individual circumstances other financial
assistance may be available
MSD This is assistance is available on a case by case
basis. Assistance provided to date includes offers of
alternative seasonal work and childcare.
Job search support MSD can assist farmers, their spouses and workers in
allied industries affected by the drought find off-farm
employment.
MSD This assistance is currently available.
Local Recovery Assistance
Assistance activated
Grants to Rural
Support Trusts
Grants to assist Rural Support Trusts in providing
support to primary producers.
MAF MAF is engaging with the Rural Support Trusts in the
Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Manawatu, the
East Coast, Nelson / Marlborough, North Canterbury,
South Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
Technology
Transfer Grants
Grants to provide assistance for education and
technical advice on recovery options relating to
financial and contingency planning, including animal
welfare. The grants can be used for activities such as
technology transfer workshops and brochures and
advice material.
MAF MAF has provided funding for Meat and Wool New
Zealand drought management seminars, and have
directly funded some Individual seminars/field days.
Dairy NZ has been very active carrying out a number
of field days on drought management, and is shortly
to start another round advising on winter
management.
MAF is currently in discussion with Rural Women NZ
for them to provide some localised seminars for
farming women.
Funding for shed
meetings and
morale boosting
events
Funding can be made available to assist with local
community events aimed at boosting morale.
MAF provided assistance for transport to the Tui
‘Drought Shout’ in the Wairarapa held on 9 April.
MAF is liaising with Rural Women of New Zealand to
potentially fund 2 of morale-boosting events in
Waikato and Canterbury.
Agricultural
Recovery
Coordinators
The Government will provide funding to Rural Support
Trusts for Agricultural Recovery Coordinators as
needed. The coordinator’s main role is to co-ordinate
MAF There are Agricultural Recovery Facilitators in:
• North Canterbury.
(regional) the response and recovery initiatives.
• South Canterbury.
• The East Coast.
• Taranaki.
• Manawatu.
• The Bay of Plenty Waikato (6).
• Southland.
• Wairarapa.
Agricultural
Recovery Facilitator
(national)
The Government may appoint an Agricultural
Recovery Facilitator at the national level. The
facilitator’s main role would be to work with MAF and
help to co-ordinate the response and recovery
initiatives.
MAF Les Hill is the appointed National Agricultural
Recovery Facilitator.
Rural Case
Managers
Work and Income has identified Rural Case Managers
to proactively engage with farmers and industry
workers in all drought affected regions.
MSD The Rural Case Managers are mobile.
Volunteer costs Costs are met for volunteer travel and accommodation. MAF Under assessment.
Financial and
business planning
advice grants
The National Drought Committee discussed the need
for these grants and decided they were not required
at this stage.
Feed availability Assistance activated
Feed survey MAF commissioned a national feed availability survey.
• MAF may also have a role in ensuring the
continuity of the feed supply.
MAF The final analysis has been completed and the
results are available on the website. The analysis
has also been provided to all grain companies.