News

NQ floods: Twitter blast after Fed Govt ignores Tipperary hay offer

James Nason, 08/02/2019

When David Connolly,  general manager of the Tipperary Group of Stations, heard earlier this week the Federal Government was mobilsing Defence Force aircraft to deliver fodder to starving, stranded stock in Queensland’s flood Gulf, he immediately made a generous gesture.

With about 1500 tonnes of shedded hay on hand and a RAAF accredited airstrip on Tipperary, he offered the property’s services for RAAF aircraft to fly in and load hay to deliver quickly to needy cattle producers in the Gulf.

That was three days ago.

All he has heard since has been crickets.

Today in frustration he took to Twitter to ask Federal and State political leaders why they were yet to respond while conditions continue to deteriorate for thousands upon thousands of standed, starving cattle:

 

AgForce CEO Mike Guerin also took to Twitter to voice his frustration at the ongoing delays:

 

Speaking to Beef Central this afternoon Mr Connolly said he was still yet to hear from the Federal Government.

“We have got a lot of hay, I am sure we can get it down to where it is needed,” he said.

David Connolly

“We would sell it for cost, what it cost us to get it there

“It is our hay that we need to use for our cattle and our export yard, but we’re prepared to put our needs secondary to others’ needs which is keeping cattle alive.

“We sat on our hay becaue we knew how hard it was to get and we needed it, but we don’t need it as bad as these poor blokes with cattle standing in water.

“You’re not going to be able to save all of them but you’re going to save some of them.”

Despite not hearing back Tipperary still loaded it’s own semi-trailer with square bales and sent it to the Cloncurry clearing yards, where it likely to arrive some time this weekend.

Mr Connolly said a RAAF cargo plane from Darwin or Amberley could land, load hay and take it to Cloncurry in a fraction of the time and continue with round trips to stockpile hay.

“Here we are sitting on 1500 tonnes of hay that we could possibly distribute, we have a big airstip they could send the planes up from Amberley or Darwin, but we still haven’t heard anything.”

 

 

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Comments

  1. Karl raham, 11/02/2019

    Disgraceful and they wonder why we have NO confidence in our government.

  2. Roger Boshammer, 10/02/2019

    Red tape, it’s called job creation for more and more trainee beauracrats.

  3. Brian Gray, 10/02/2019

    Great Job Tipperary Station. I am sure many producers would be very grateful.
    Where is the Agriculture minister while all this is happening. He was barely sighted during the drought, and hasn’t been seen since.
    In an Election year you would think local members plus our governments would be jumping all over each other to HELP.
    We as voters need to get it right come next election.

  4. Ninian Stewart-Moore, 10/02/2019

    It is because all levels of government are full of beauracrats needing to tick boxes and the tiers of management above them make it impossible to drill through when some practical common sense is required. Politicians at all levels say they are going to cut onerous red tape but the system has to change- an elected member is not permitted to instruct staff directly so practicality goes out the window even in a crisis
    The system is stuffing Australia as we knew it

  5. Mel, 10/02/2019

    Such a lovely gesture! Beautiful property, great place to work and lovely to see it’s still managed by generous people 😁

  6. Dorothy Sinclair, 09/02/2019

    Brilliant offer Tipperary Station. Many Thanks! I hope your offer is taken up soon! ❤️ 🤗

  7. Ross Keane, 09/02/2019

    Great offer David and the Tipperary Owners, why is it not happening

  8. GRAHAM NEILSEN, 08/02/2019

    Thanks Tipperary
    great work
    hope the RAAF is in the air as we speak.

  9. David Foote, 08/02/2019

    Regardless of the outcome – A fantastic gesture – thanks David and Tipperary ownership.

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