Drought...the victims are more widespread than you think

Thanks to a sudden media interest in the dry conditions in New South Wales and Queensland, most Australians now have an acute visual idea of what the drought is... barren sunburnt plains, starving livestock, dried up river beds...

Now, don't get me wrong - I welcome the media coverage that is covering the hard times in our regional areas, the subsequent awareness of the general public and the fundraising. I really love the concern shown from the people in non-regional areas - my faith has been somewhat restored after years of feedback that has been dominated by extreme green and vegan views (please, don't get me started, you will be here all night!).

However, I do have a teensy-tiny bone to pick with the mainstream media...the victims of this drought (which has been going on for YEARS now, by the way) are far more extensive than the skeleton skinned livestock, and the weather-beaten farmer leaning on a gate post with a faraway look in their eyes in the camera viewfinder. Although giving you less-than-dramatic images than your ratings-driven hierarchy demands, the everyday person in the street of a small regional town is an unspoken victim. You know the ones... they own a small boutique in the main street and their husband is a farm hand on a dryland grain farm down the road.

During dry times, money is less free-flowing in town due to families and individuals tightening their already empty purse strings, and strategically spending their money on essential items such as basic groceries and potable water. Hubby's job remains in the air as the farm faces and third year of not planting a crop, and his bosses cannot simply justify his wages for another twelve months of maintenance jobs. They need 100 mm of rain to fall before the tractor can come out of the shed.

Or maybe you know of a truck driver, in order to get paid enough to pay the bills, often has to drive thousands of kilometers, and spend endless nights away from his family. They are virtually missing out on witnessing their children's childhood - not to mention his wife/partner who is at home, holding the fort down on her own. Trucks in the agriculture industry cant cart air! They need livestock, grain, cotton or fertiliser to be needed and available in order for them to generate an income. They are not farmers, but their income purely relies on product produced by farmers!

(Just as side note, some of my best friends have husbands who are truck drivers and I must say, I am always in awe of how they manage to juggle themselves, their children and the family business - mostly on their own...management skills I can only dream of!)

This is the back bone and my drive to starting the Rural Maker Small Business Directory. We need to encourage those who can to support small business in rural areas. For the next birthday gift you need to buy, or dress for your upcoming Christmas party I encourage to look at the business directory and support one of small businesses there. The ramifications are huge, and yet - little to no mention in the media. Every time someone asks me "How can I help?", I honestly have to do my best to not yell back "Support Small Business in rural areas!"

Not only does your money go to a family who needs it - they can then spend that money in their local town - at the local shop, at the servo, at the doctor... You can single-handedly keep the economy of the drought-affected town moving. The last thing our drought-affected farmers need is to lose the services in their local town which have been forced to close due to a failing economy. Cash is king and money moving throughout a town will honestly give it more life than sudden run in the local river.

The stories above are heard so often by those on the ground, its emotionally exhausting. I'm not sure our politicians can relate to the feeling of a whole town kneeling under the pressure of drought. To walk down the main street to see empty shop windows, or to go to a children's birthday party where instead of little kid's giggles, you can hear the small murmur of words of private encouragement to keep going between friends.

"Chin up mate, it can't not rain forever. We are due for our turn soon."

I applaud the drought package the Federal Government announced last week, I really do. However, please realise that this is far more widespread and far more important than your dramatic photo opportunity in your brand-new-out-of-the-box Akubra. There are real people out here that genuinely do not know when their next pay check will come (or their last one for that matter), and are constantly surrounded by indecision about their family's future.

Please, in the lead up to the silly season, think RURAL when you do your online shopping. More often than not, you will get exceptional customer service, flawless product and above all, you will make some one, and a whole town so very happy!

Cheers,

Sam

PS Below are some of my "Rural Makers" - their details can be found in the Business Directory.

Lisa McKelvey - "Three Little Ducks" Goondiwindi - Truckies Wife, mum to four and wiz with a sewing machine

Glenda Burke - Little Echidna Home, Tenterfield NSW - mum to three and enamel and canvas goods extraordinaire

Carla Dillon - Little Button Essentials Goondiwindi QLD - Farmer's daughter, mum to two and natural product superstar!

Jodie Pollock - Vicky D's Kitchen Charters Towers QLD - Cattle Station owner and foodie incredible!