Rural Financial Counselling Services secured for Southern Queensland

April 28, 2021

With parts of Maranoa still experiencing prolonged and severe drought, an Australian Government investment of more than $8 million will help Rural Solutions Queensland continue to deliver rural financial counselling services in Southern Queensland from July 2021 to 2024.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said Rural Solutions Queensland was one of 10 providers from across the country sharing in more than $56 million to deliver essential support for farmers doing it tough.

“For more than 30 years the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) program has been helping local primary producers to weather the tough times and navigate the path to recovery,” Minister Littleproud said.

“I’m pleased to see this important investment is continuing in Maranoa. This provides certainty that help is available for farmers when and where it is needed most—not only in our local region, but right across the country.

“It’s really important that if you are in need of support that you don’t self-assess your eligibility – instead seek advice from experts.

“I encourage any primary producer who is facing hardship, regardless of the cause, to reach out to the RFCS.”

From July, the service will be refocussed to drive improved financial wellbeing at the farm level and build a more sustainable, resilient, and profitable primary production sector.

“There was strong competition in this funding round, which allowed us to select proposals that will strengthen this critical service and drive better outcomes for clients,” Minister Littleproud said.

“This new investment of $8,315,594 over three years will help Rural Solutions Queensland, based in Roma, to keep up with demand and support our farmers to get back on track.”

The RFCS is jointly funded by the Australian, state and territory governments.

For more information about the RFCS, including a list of providers, visit awe.gov.au/rfcs

Fast Facts:

• Since 1986, rural financial counsellors have been on the ground helping Australian primary producers in financial hardship to get back on track.
• Rural financial counsellors work one-on-one with clients by helping them to understand their financial position and take the necessary steps to get out of financial difficulty—whether it’s getting the family out of financial crisis, bringing the business back to profitability or supporting a dignified exit from the industry.
• More than $56 million (GST exclusive) is being invested in the Rural Financial Counselling Service across the country through this new funding round.
• Funding has been allocated to ten service providers covering 12 predefined RFCS regions.
• The first year of the program will include $3.75 million (GST exclusive) for bushfire recovery financial counselling as part of the government’s National Bushfire Recovery Fund announced in 2020. Allocation of this funding to affected regions is at the discretion of the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management.