Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton (centre) today caught up with two of the mentees from Dubbo, Peter Thornton and Milly Ferguson, who have been selected to participate in the FDF Drought Resilience Leaders mentoring program.

• The Australian Government is investing more than $11 million in the Future Drought Fund’s Drought Resilience Leaders program
• The program gives farmers and others in regional communities the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills through leadership development and mentoring to help build local drought resilience
• Ten mentees and nine mentors have been selected in the Parkes electorate for round one of the mentoring program

The Australian Government is investing in building drought resilient leaders through the $5 billion Future Drought Fund (FDF).

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said 10 mentees and nine mentors have been selected in the Parkes electorate in round one of the FDF Drought Resilience Leaders mentoring program.

“Congratulations to each of the mentees and mentors from across the Parkes electorate who have been selected for this mentoring program,” Mr Coulton said.

“Farming skills, including drought resilience, are passed down from generation to generation. This program is about facilitating those connections to benefit farming communities here in the Parkes electorate.

“The mentoring program will continue with 300 mentees matched with 250 mentors nationally. I’d encourage any interested farmers and those employed in the agricultural sector to contact ARLF to find out how they can get involved.”

Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said the program will bring participants together to share knowledge and experience.

“We are partnering with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) to create a new generation of drought resilient leaders,” Minister Littleproud said.

“The mentoring program joins farmers and those with a close connection to agriculture with experienced industry professionals for a chance to learn about drought preparedness from those who have lived and worked through the issue themselves.”

The Future Drought Fund is creating a new generation of young and emerging leaders and encouraging learning and knowledge sharing to benefit Australian agriculture and the communities and livelihoods that depend on it.

For more information on the FDF: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought/future-drought-fund

For more information on the ARLF: https://rural-leaders.org.au/our-programs/drought-resilience-leaders/

Successful mentees in the Parkes electorate:

• Emma Fessey – Brewarrina
• Michelle Mort – Bourke
• Georgia Hunt – Narrabri
• Claudia Bryant – Broken Hill
• Milly Ferguson – Dubbo
• Emily Sinderberry – Bobadah
• Peter Thornton – Dubbo
• William Archer – Narromine
• Phoebe Bridges – North Star
• Angus Groves – Dubbo

Successful mentors in the Parkes electorate:

• Bruce Maynard – Narromine
• Deanne Stanfield – Nowley
• Graham Lyon – Dubbo
• Holly Pender – Merah North
• Jillian Kelly – Coonamble
• Kim Chandler – Dubbo
• Lucy Staughton – Gunnedah
• Peter Thornton – Dubbo
• Roger Fitzgerald – Moree

Fast Facts:

• Applications for round two of the program close on 19 November 2021; a third round will open in January 2022.
• A sub-component of the Drought Resilience Leaders program is a national webinar series open to everyone. The series continues to June 2022 with the second webinar on 18 November 2021.