AGRICULTURE Minister Barnaby Joyce has hinted that the federal government might extend the life of cheap loans for drought-stricken farmers in Queensland and New South Wales.
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But any cost is likely to come out of committed drought-assistance funding.
Nationals MPs and farmers are keen for the concessional five-year loans to be stretched out to 10 or 15 years.
They also want the interest rate lowered from 4 per cent to below 3 per cent.
Mr Joyce, in Darwin for a conference on the development of Northern Australia, would not directly comment on the request.
But he said it was ‘‘obviously logical’’ that if there were areas where drought assistance was not being used, consideration should be given to the areas where it could be used.
‘‘We have certain parts of our nation that are not drawing on these facilities and other parts ... that have fully drawn,’’ he said.
One farmer said the call for extended loans wasn’t a simple handout: ‘‘I don’t think it’s a handout. We’re not asking for a cash payout. It’s just assistance to keep us in the game.’’
