There were a number of entries in the "Win a Bag of Dog Biscuits" Competition as part of the Drought Taskforce Tent on the Drought Bus site at Agfest.
The winners who guessed the correct number at 102:
- Rae Young of Bothwell
- Laurence Fernley, Westbury
Who each received 2 bags of dog biscuts from our sponsors.
Runners-up receiving 1 bag each of dog biscuits:
- Tim Chesterman, Orford
- Val Kline, Woodsdale
The Competition Sponsors: Loones, Roberts and Tas Ag Services are thanked for their support in providing the prizes.
Additional drought assistance measures announced 24 April 2008.
From a Centrelink media release on 28 March 2008:
The Australian Government's Drought Bus will return to Tasmania in April to encourage local farmers and small business owners to talk to specialist Centrelink rural staff and explore the range of available payments and support.
The Drought Bus will arrive in Tasmania on 22 April and will spend two weeks touring the State including an inaugural stop at Agfest from Thursday, 1 May to Saturday, 3 May. The Drought Bus will be taking its services directly to the people, to make it easier for farmers and communities to access drought assistance payments and other forms of Australian Government support.
Specialised Centrelink staff including Rural Service Officers and social workers are available to provide counselling and support. Farmers can help Centrelink process their assistance claims as quickly as possible by making sure they bring in relevant documents when they visit the Drought Bus. This includes things like proof of identity, rates notices, tax returns, birth certificates or extracts, bank, shares or other investment statements as well as payslips for any off-farm work.
Small businesses that serve local farms in EC and prima facie declared areas will also benefit from speaking with Drought Bus staff.Small businesses that employ less than 100 staff - such as contract harvesters, seed, feed or fertiliser suppliers, livestock transporters, and suppliers of farm machinery and equipment - may now be eligible for drought assistance and interest rate subsidies.
Everyone's circumstances are different, and farmers and small businesses shouldn't self assess their eligibility for assistance payments or other support.
Go and see Centrelink staff at the Drought Bus or call the Drought Assistance Hotline on 13 2316 to find out for sure.
The Drought Bus itinerary for Tasmania:
| Destination |
Date | Start Time |
Finish Time |
| Wynyard | 22 April | 10.00am | 12.30pm |
| Yolla |
22 April | 1.30pm | 4.30pm |
| Latrobe |
23 April | 9.30am | 12.30pm |
| Sheffield |
23 April | 1.30pm | 4.30pm |
| Campbell Town |
24 April |
9.30am |
4.30pm |
| Sorell | 28 April | 9.30am | 4.30pm |
| Orford | 29 April | 9.30am | 4.30pm |
| Cranbrook | 30 April | 9.30am | 12.30pm |
Find out more about the Australian Government Drought Bus Services .
Go to the Tasmanian Drought Update .
