Drought Or Dry?
I’m a bit behind when it comes to news. I don’t watch it as a general rule. Too depressing really. While we were away, I visited a news website in search of something and the headlines greeting me were along the lines of “SA farmers watch crops die”. Oh good. We went away figuring at least we wouldn’t have to watch our crops die. See, news is bad. Not knowing is much better!!!
Of course, the down side to not watching the news is that I never really know what’s going on. However, most of the “important” stuff tends to filter through in blog posts, conversation and of course, those great comedy shows we have here that are based on news headlines.
In fact, I was watching one last night (okay, half watching). One I haven’t seen before. Something to do with the question or along those lines. And I happened to catch a question about the renaming of the drought.
WHAT?
Yes, apparently some very bright (and possibly overpaid) bunny has come up with the idea that if change the word “drought” to “dry”, farmers won’t feel so bad.
GOVERNMENT experts say the word “drought” is making farmers feel bad and want people to use the word “dryness” instead to describe Australia’s worst “lack of rain” in a century. Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24540442-5009760,00.html
Of Course!!!! Why didn’t I think of that???? That changes EVERYTHING!!!!
“Words like drought … have negative connotations for farm families,” the report said.
NEWS FLASH: It’s not the WORDS that have negative connotations for farming families. It’s working your butt off all year for NOTHING!!!!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with farming, drought is actually a NORMAL part of the weather cycle. Most farmers are reasonable business-people and will be prepared for a drought. It does depend on where you live as to how normal weather patterns in terms of drought might affect you. Around here we work on 1 in 7 years being a severe drought. We also work on 1 in 7 years being when we’ll actually MAKE any money. The other 5 flutter around the “average” mark. In other parts of Australia, it’s not uncommon to have more years of drought and perhaps more in a row.
The problem in recent years has been EXTENDED drought. Most farmers in this area coped fine with the first drought. Many even managed to survive the second year of drought (actually, it’s a bit more complicated than that - the 2nd year here wasn’t actually a drought - we were badly affected by very low grain prices). When you tip into a 3rd year of going backwards in terms of the farms cash flow balance, the stress starts to show. In all honesty, I’ve lost count of the number of years in a row where we have either gone backwards or simply “survived” (enough to cover the bills and not really go backwards but not enough to catch up from the years we’ve gone backwards).
I’m kind of confused though, as to how a panel of “experts” can come up with the idea that changing the word “drought” to “dryness” is part of the solution to the ongoing problem Australia is facing right now in terms of rainfall. Yes, drought has a negative connotation. But aren’t we only playing with semantics here? Will changing the word Earthquake to “a little shaking” change the devastation that an Earthquake can wreak? Perhaps we’ll change Tsunami to “oversized waves”?
In fairness, I went to check out the report being quoted by various media. The media love to grab hold of the tiniest snippet and sensationalize it. I hope they don’t feel like they’re “helping” because in reality they’re not. All they’re doing is removing the focus from the real problems and possible solutions.
I’m trying to wade my way through the actual report but it’s 160 pages long and I’m tired.
Here’s what I DO know:
- We live in a very blessed country that works hard to look after ALL of it’s citizens. While the system may not be perfect, we are grateful for the assistance that has been given by the government to date. Like all systems, there are those who’ll go to any lengths for a “freebie” even if they don’t need it. Those kinds of people make me mad and in all honesty, I hope Karma comes and bites them on the bum at some point. There are others who fall through the cracks for one reason or another. They are a concern. As are those who are so connected to the farm that they feel living in such circumstances is just no longer a viable option and take their own lives (thankfully we haven’t seen too much of that around these parts this time around).
- I know many farmers are nervous because past Labor governments have made it quite clear that they don’t value farmers as a vital part of our economy or community. Let’s hope the current Labor government doesn’t share that attitude.
- Farmers are incredibly adaptable people. They’re constantly adapting to the conditions set before them. Given time, if these conditions are here to stay, they will adapt. Assistance may be needed in the interim and funding into research and technology can help in the long-term.
- Name changes really isn’t going to get to the heart of the problem. While solutions are complex and will vary from situation to situation, I think the suggestion to change the terminology from “drought” to “dryness” is just plain stupid.
You can read more on this at National Review of Drought Policy.
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A few months ago, I saw an article in SMH saying that studies have shown that farmers are depressed because of the drought.
I thought that was a bit reduntant. How else should a farmer feel when there’s a drought??
I’m not sure anyone needed to waste their time trying to figure out the psychological state of farmers during a drought.
It’s like saying to someone “Hey, how are you?” when they’re barfing up their guts.
I think a drought (or extended drought) would be hard on everyone–but especially farmers.
It all sounds a bit condescending to me–change the name and no one will notice the difference!
Perhaps the government could have more wisely spent the all money it used finding a new word on some action that would make a real difference. This type of bureaucracy is just about too dumb for words!
I was the same - half listening to the telly while otherwise occupied (writing todays blog post lol) and heard that. Strikes me as absolute stupidity. Calling this extended period of drought the big dry or whatever they came up with is not going to change the effect it is having on farmers the same as telling someone they are ‘not yet competent’ to do something still amounts to failing on that particular attempt.
Personally I thought a much better use of any funds spent on playing with the semantics would have been much better spent on assistance packages, climate research or water options.
The only real solution I can think of is for God to send us warm sunny days and cool rainy nights. Worldwide. Till the end of time. Wishful thinking, I know.
I know many farmers are nervous because past Labor governments have made it quite clear that they don’t value farmers as a vital part of our economy or community.
There is a bit of a feedback loop in that rural Australia tends to vote conservative come rain or shine - which means the right take thems for granted and the left ignores them because they figure no matter what they do, rural Australia will keep voting for the right.
Perhaps the ironic thing here is that it was the side of politics that rural Australia tends to keep voting for that dismantled a lot of the social welfare infrastructure in the first place in the name of “lowering taxes for working Australians”. Why is anyone surprised that there isn’t anything left in the pot to help people out in the hard times when we voted for tax cuts and gutted those programs during the good times?
As for consultants coming up with fancy new ways to rebrand nasty things (Torture becomes “enhanced interrogation” and so on) - we’ll never get rid of that sort of stuff, so the trick probably is to be the one who gets a fat paycheck when asked to come up with a friendlier way to describe something unfriendly that cannot be changed.
Oh my brave new world - so henceforth, are cyclones to be called “windy low pressurised zones”, floods “rising damp levels” and bushfires “a bit hot”.
Bureaucrats need to justify their salaries somehow, I suppose.
Hoping Hughie gives you some relief soon.
That IS dumb. Changing the name isn’t going to solve anything. I’m so sick of people changing terms and words so as not to offend anyone or hurt their feelings. I think more energy should be expended on more important things, like actually solving the problem or dealing with them.
I saw that program too, as did my husband who choked on his cuppa while being told that terming the drought as “dryness” would make him less likely to get depressed. I won’t repeat what he said….I’m sure you can imagine.
Dina - that is so true it made me laugh. Mind you, my DH will ask me how I am right after I’ve told him I’m unwell. Strange guy.
Journeyer - It’s kind of frustrating isn’t it. A bit like grants for landcare on our properties that require you employ a consultant as a condition of receiving the grant money. And guess how much grant money is left after paying the consultant? Zip. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!!!
Bettina - yeah, kind of stupid. Although fortunately, this team came up with more than just the name change. I wish the media would portray that. In my mind, the media can be lumped in with all the other idiots!!! LOL.
River - wishful thinking perhaps. But a wonderful wish nonetheless.
Stuffy - You know me. Never could tell my left from my right, political or otherwise.
Jeanie - yep, you’ve about covered it.
Teeni - agreed!
Sharon - I wish I could have been there. Your husband cracks me up with some of his comments!!!
We would love to help those farmers get their grants so they can survive!
http://australiangovernmentgrants.org