Ms Palaszczuk on Monday announced a four-strand range of support to regional Queensland including: $4 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service over four years; $2 million in extra mental health funding to a Queensland Health Tackling Regional Adversity program; $2 million over two years to the Small Business Financial Counselling Service; $1 million to increase the distance from which subsidised fodder can be delivered to farms from 1300 kilometres to 2000 kilometres Ms Palaszczuk said the advice cabinet received said this fodder relief would be welcomed by farmers. "This allows fodder to be transported to the most northerly drought-affected area in Queensland, juts south of Normanton, from the Mallee in Victoria," Ms Palaszczuk said. The government has already allocated $670 million over five years in a range of drought relief measures.

Ms Palaszczuk said $470,000 has been raised the Queensland government's Drought Appeal launched last week. She said the decision to bring forward the $4 million in funds to the Royal Flying Doctor Service was requested by the Country Women's Association. "What we have done is brought forward $4 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to try to get this money out to the communities," Ms Palaszczuk said. She said cabinet was acting on advice to fund extra financial counselling and mental health as the drought's impact hit small towns. Fodder assistance has been boosted to get extra feed to farms and properties, she said.

"We have extended the kilometres out to 2000 kilometres which means more farmers will be able to get more assistance," she said. Queensland's two wild dog commissioners, former LNP MP Vaughan Johnson and Mark O'Brien, from St Vincent de Paul, were today appointed drought commissioners. The pair will work without pay to put together a more detailed Queensland drought assistance package to give to Agriculture Minister Mark Furner. Agricultural Minister Mark Furner said the extension to the fodder relief meant Queensland farmers could get subsidised feed from as far south as Tasmania. "There is virtually no fodder in New South Wales, that is a state that is now 100 per cent drought-declared," he said.

"The fodder will also help in the far north and in western Queensland and on the back of that there is assistance to farmers in drought-declared areas to extend their funding by an extra $10,000 up to a $50,000 cap." The funding package was welcomed by AgForce, Queensland's peak agricultural body. "AgForce has been calling for more secure, long term mental health funding to ensure continuity of services in rural and remote regions," chief executive Michael Guerin said. "So we welcome the Queensland Government's support of the Wellbeing Service provided by the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Tackling Regional Adversity through Integrated Care program," he said. Mr Guerin said the extension to the fodder subsidies was important.

"We also appreciate the State Government's decision to increase the maximum distance that fodder can be transported at a subsidised rate and we look forward to their review into the effectiveness of the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme." But he called for longer-term assistance and again asked for capital works programs in rural towns to be bought forward. Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington on Monday asked for a regional tourism drive to be considered by the Palaszczuk government to bring tourism dollars to the outback. "Drought-affected regional communities also need more support, so a drive tourism campaign encouraging people to support local businesses is also a must," Ms Frecklingon said. "If we don't support the local stores, cafes, pubs and hotels we will lose these businesses from our rural landscape."