Summary
With farmers and rural communities in Queensland and New South Wales continuing to struggle with drought, Australian-owned natural gas company Santos is proud to donate $160,000 to support rural communities in the Maranoa and Narrabri regions where we operate.
With farmers and rural communities in Queensland and New South Wales continuing to struggle with drought, Australian-owned natural gas company Santos is proud to donate $160,000 to support rural communities in the Maranoa and Narrabri regions where we operate.
Santos will donate a total of $80,000 to the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) to be spent on the ground to assist those who live in drought-stricken rural communities in the Maranoa region.
In New South Wales Santos will donate $40,000 each to:
- Narrabri Lions Club “Why Leave Town” gift cards
- Narrabri Rotary Club (in partnership with Wee Waa and Boggabri) “Neighbours in Need” social isolation and mental health program
Santos Managing Director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said as a proudly Australian company that has worked in partnership with local communities for 65 years to develop natural gas, it’s only right to lend a hand.
“We know farmers and rural communities are doing it tough with around 65 percent of Queensland and almost 100 percent of New South Wales in drought conditions that have been going on for more than two years,” Mr Gallagher said.
“The QCWA is Queensland’s largest women’s organisation, serving rural communities since 1922. Its ‘Public Rural Crisis Fund’ supports families suffering in this drought in the form of grocery vouchers, store credit or helping pay overdue household bills.
“The Lions ‘Why Leave Town’ program is an initiative that actually started in Narrabri and is now up and running in about 20 towns. The gift cards can be redeemed at a number of local businesses, helping both farmers and small businesses who rely on their trade and are also affected during times of drought.
“Rotary ‘Neighbours in Need’ provides vital support for people struggling with social isolation and general mental health by bringing people together for community events and providing referrals to support services. The social and mental health aspects of drought are too often forgotten.
“Helping each other out is what good neighbours do, and that’s why we’re pleased to donate to support our rural communities in Queensland and NSW. To support the rural communities where we live and work, Santos has also launched a staff appeal and will match employee donations to charities helping out with the drought,” Mr Gallagher said.
This donation builds on the $200,000 Santos provided for drought relief in Queensland and NSW in 2018.
