Spirit Lifter Convoy Message of Support from Premier
Over the past year or so, welcome rain has fallen across Sydney and some country areas, giving many people the misguided idea that the drought is over. As most NSW farmers know all too well, nothing could be further from the truth. The drought grinds relentlessly onwards, with the Riverina copping it especially hard.
Faced with that tough situation, farming communities need hope. Some of that hope comes from public support, and the NSW Government is playing its part with $400 million worth of drought assistance thus far and even more to come. But surviving through the drought is not just a matter of rain or finances. It’s about having a bit of optimism – about knowing you are not alone. That is why the Spirit Lifter Convoy organised by my distinguished parliamentary colleague, Dr Gordon Moyes MLC, is so important.
Not only will it bring welcome supplies to country families, it will bring hope – the hope that comes from faith, from a love of this country, and a respect for our precious rural heritage. So I commend Dr Moyes and all the volunteers who are working with him to make the 2008 Convoy a truly spirit lifting event, extending a hand of friendship from city to country and ensuring that while the drought may persist, our care and concern for country families will never run dry.
The Hon. Morris Iemma MP, Premier of New South Wales
