RAPAD's new chair calls for region building work...

Region-building work will be a focus of the new Remote Area Planning and Development Board, which has held its first meeting since the local government elections.

Longreach mayor Tony Rayner was elected chairman, replacing outgoing Barcaldine Regional Council mayor Rob Chandler, and Blackall-Tambo mayor Andrew Martin remained as deputy chairman.

In the meantime, Diamantina mayor Rob Dare has been elected unopposed to the LGAQ policy executive, a position he filled when last the Diamantina mayor, before 2012.

While still in the COVID-19 containment phase, Cr Rayner said the seven western Queensland mayors that make up the RAPAD board were ready for the rebuilding stage.

As well as being optimistic that the region may still be able to benefit from some sort of tourism trade later in the year, they were looking forward to the uptake of the Local Government Association of Queensland's $608 million 'Battleplan'.

That includes a $200m jobs recovery plan modelled on the successful Works for Queensland program, a Green Army to support critical sectors such as agriculture and tourism, and a local government apprenticeship and traineeship guarantee.

"Every town has shovel-ready programs it can roll out," Cr Rayner.

Despite calls for a re-opening of local businesses such as hotels, cafes and restaurants, based on an absence of positive coronavirus cases throughout the region, no formal submission will be coming from RAPAD to support such a case at this stage.

Cr Rayner said everyone would welcome some local trade but mayors were still extremely cautious about the risk that that presented.

"It's about waiting patiently," he said.

"That we have no positive cases demonstrates we've done the right thing so there's potentially an opportunity for the easing of restrictions.

"We will discuss re-opening when it's appropriate, in line with Queensland Health guidelines."

Introducing two new financial councillors, which have been employed to help the region's small businesses cope with the impacts of COVID-19, to a variety of business owners in the wider Longreach area this week showed Cr Rayner that the impact varies widely.

While some businesses have been hit severely, mostly in the tourism and service sectors, some are trading better than they would be normally, such as plant nurseries.

The pair will be visiting every business in each of the towns within the RAPAD region, which stretches from Birdsville to Boulia to Tambo and Windorah.

The RAPAD meeting, which was conducted via teleconference, was the first for Barcoo Shire mayor Sally O'Neil who has moved from being Barcoo Shire Council employee into the civic leadership role.

"I'm looking forward to working with the broader leadership team of the central west region to collectively get a better deal for all of us," she said.

"I've been involved in RAPAD's technical committees for the Outback Regional Roads and Transport Group as well as the RAPAD Water and Sewage Alliance so I'm no stranger to RAPAD but the strategic side of the organisation will be new for me."

Along with the remaining directors - Andrew Martin, Blackall Tambo Regional Council; Sean Dillon, Barcaldine Regional Council; Gavin Baskett, Winton Shire Council; Rick Britton, Boulia Shire Council; and Rob Dare, Diamantina Shire Council - Cr Rayner and Cr O'Neil paid tribute to departing mayors, chairman Rob Chandler, Bruce Scott, Ed Warren and Geoff Morton.

Mr Chandler had been the RAPAD chairman since 2012.

Collectively, more than half a century of local government experience was lost with their departure.