Queensland Nationals’ Senator Barnaby Joyce has welcomed yesterday’s announcement that small businesses in drought-hit rural communities will now be eligible for interest rate subsidies.

The $210 million Small Business Drought Assistance package means hard hit rural businesses, who also suffer hardship during droughts, will be eligible for exceptional circumstances assistance like their farmer counterparts.

“The National Party recognises that it is not just farmers who do it tough during droughts, but the flow-on effect of tough times is also devastating on small business.

“We have lobbied for this change and I am pleased the Government has delivered,” Senator Joyce said.

The packaged was announced during question time in the Senate yesterday by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Nick Minchin.

The announcement takes the government’s financial commitment to drought hit farmers and small businesses people to $2.3 billion.