From: "Saved by Windows Internet Explorer 8" Subject: Future of rural financial counselling guaranteed Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 08:18:40 +1000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01CC0A33.DFCF33D0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6002.18417 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01CC0A33.DFCF33D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201105/s3207007.htm
Wednesday, 04/05/2011
The Federal Government has confirmed that funding = for the=20 Rural Financial Counselling Service will be continued.
Funding for the service is due to run out in = July, and=20 counsellors have lobbied in Canberra for its renewal.
Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig says next week's = Budget=20 will include funding for the service for a further four years.
The government will provide $54.9 million over = that time in=20 grants to the 14 state and regional organisations that currently deliver = the=20 RFCS services.
This includes $13.3 million in funding next year = and a=20 further $41.6 million from 2012-13 to 2014-15.
"Rural financial counsellors provide a wide range = of=20 information to help farmers in rural and regional Australia identify = financial=20 and business options and negotiate with their lenders," Senator Ludwig = said.
=20
The Federal Government = drought bus=20 visiting Bicheno in northern Tasmania in June, 2010. Rural counsellers = have been=20 kept busy advising farmers after drought, floods and cyclones. = (Rose Grant)
The Federal Government says funding for the Rural = Financial=20 Counselling Service will be continued
Funding for the service is due to run out in July, = and=20 counsellors have lobbied for its renewal in Canberra. Federal = Agriculture=20 minister Joe Ludwig told reporter Mary Goode that next week's Budget = will extend=20 the program for another four years