Drought conditions in several Queensland regions increased the financial issues faced by some of the state’s farm businesses. As a result, some stakeholders sought additional assistance for affected farmers from the Queensland Government, particularly focused on debt.
One of several responses by the Queensland Government was to establish a Rural Debt and Drought Taskforce, of which Ben Rees, farmer and economist, is a member.
In this Research Report Ben Rees examines elements of the financial system which have exacerbated the financial problems faced by farmers, particularly since the Global Financial Crisis.
Rural debt and agricultural viability
In this paper, delivered at the Rangelands Conference in Brisbane on 1 July 2019, Ben Rees examines agricultural and drought policy, and the problem of rural indebtedness in Australia.