The Western Queensland councils economic development body has welcomed Queensland's staged wind back of COVID-19 restrictions.
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The Remote Area Planning and Development Board, made up of the seven local government areas of the central west, said Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk's three step process would get Queensland's economy moving while keeping the community safe.
RAPAD chair Tony Rayner was pleased the government listened to the needs of western Queensland with outback residents able to dine in restaurants, pubs and clubs with a maximum of 20 people and can drive up to 500km from this weekend.
"This relaxing of restrictions during our western Queensland tourist season will be critical for the region's economy," Cr Rayner said.
"A RAPAD commissioned report released in February shows that the tourism spend in the central west is in excess of half a billion dollars every year."
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Phase two of the plan starts on June 12 when travel anywhere in the outback for outback residents will be allowed and restaurants, pubs and clubs can welcome 50 local guests at a time.
By July 10 interstate and intrastate travel will be allowed and maximum number of people in a venue will be 100.
Cr Rayner said the attention now had to be on the road map for economic recovery with RAPAD calling for a western Queensland recovery and stimulus package to including community and economic infrastructure funding and road funding.
They also want a support package to assist outback tourism operators who will miss their critical peak season and are unlikely to generate any significant turnover until winter 2021 and promotion of the Outback as a tourism destination when the pandemic passes.
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