Elected Members
In accordance with amendments to the Local Government Act, 2009 our councillor conduct register is now available by clicking the button below.
Mayor
Councillor Anthony (Tony) Rayner
Email: mayor@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0418 961 372
Cr Rayner is a proud Longreach local having completed his primary and secondary education in Longreach before completing his tertiary qualifications at the University of Queensland (Queensland Agricultural College).
He was elected Mayor in the 2020 local government elections having served the previous four-year term as a Councillor. Whilst a Councillor he was also Chief Executive Officer of RAPAD Employment Services Queensland (RESQ); an employment agency operating across one-third of regional Queensland and employing 40 staff. Cr Rayner held the role for six years and built the company into a highly successful organisation – rated among the top three in Australia for job outcomes and community activity value.
Prior to this Cr Rayner was a senior executive within the Queensland Government; serving in roles such as Executive Director for the Australian Agricultural Colleges, Assistant Director-General Department Primary Industries, Executive Director Employment and Economic Development, and Regional Director roles over a 30 year period.
He has actively engaged with the Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD) in various roles and has worked closely with many State and Federal Cabinet Ministers and Directors-General. This experience includes regular deputations and meetings with government in Canberra and Brisbane advocating for funding of regional areas. Cr Rayner was elected as Chair of RAPAD following his Mayoral appointment and is also a Board Director for RESQ. Cr Rayner is one of the 21 Mayors that comprise the Western Qld Alliance.
Mayor Rayner is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Justice of the Peace (Qualified), a Graduate of the Experiential Leadership Development Program, and has completed tertiary qualifications and numerous professional development programs. He has served as a director on various boards and management committees such as Queensland Agricultural Colleges, Rural Lands Advisory Council, multiple Natural Resource Management Committees, and is a regular panel member for State Government bodies.
His experience also encompasses a comprehensive understanding of disaster relief operations; having coordinated some of the biggest flood relief and recovery programs in regional Queensland over a wide range of state-wide disasters.
Mayor Rayner’s passion is for regional communities, good governance, youth development, sound natural resource management, and the economic growth of rural and regional communities. Mayor Rayner is a strong and passionate advocate for buying local and supporting local businesses to grow and develop.
Councillor Leonie Nunn
Email: deputymayor@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0427 589 155
Committees: Audit and Risk Committee
Cr Leonie Nunn was elected as a first time nominee for local government in 2016.
Along with her husband, Jim, they have lived on a sheep and cattle property (‘Sunnyside’) in the Longreach District for 37 years, where they have raised their four sons.
Cr Nunn is a teacher by profession, having taught at remote schools in South Australia, and as a teaching principal at Stonehenge, as well as teaching her own children distance education for many years.
Prior to nominating for council, Cr Nunn served as a board director for 7 Years.
Councillor Anthony (Tony) Emslie
Email: cremslie@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0407 644 204
Committees: Longreach Disaster Management Group
Councillor Dale Bignell
Email: crbignell@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0458 582 208
Committees: Audit and Risk Committee; Plant Advisory Committee
Councillor Dale Bignell was elected to Council as a first-time candidate in 2020. He is a 3rd generation Isisford local and a very proud and passionate community member.
Cr Bignell started his working life in the shearing industry around Isisford before heading to Tasmania shearing. He retired from the sheds in 1979, accepting a position at Comalco/Rio Tinto at Bell Bay in Tasmania. He worked there for 32 years starting as a labourer and working his way up to a supervisor on the potlines. He travelled to Germany and the USA with Rio Tinto.
Cr Bignell started travelling with his wife Christine with the intention of travelling around Australia - but the calling from home was too great. Having only got as far as Isisford on their last two trips they bought a block of land in 2014 and started building in 2015. They relocated full time in 2016.
In that time Cr Bignell has become heavily involved in many community groups in Isisford.
He and Christine have twin sons, a daughter, and 5 grandchildren.
Councillor Nikki Gay
Email: crgay@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0408 263 659
Committees: Plant Advisory Committee
Cr Nikki Gay is a dedicated community member and professional deeply rooted in Longreach, where she has lived and contributed for over 35 years. Her career spans from agricultural studies at Longreach Pastoral College to roles in state and federal departments, including the Department of Primary Industries. Committed to the region's development, Cr Gay has actively engaged in volunteer work and has a strong background in workforce recruitment within the health sector. As a Councillor, her focus is on creating resilient and economically viable communities in the region and its surroundings.
Councillor Tracy Hatch
Email: crhatch@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0427 827 350
Committees: Regional Arts Development Fund Advisory Committee
Cr Tracy Hatch grew up in the Central Highlands and attended the Longreach Pastoral College as a student in the mid-1980s.
She was involved in the beef and sugarcane industry in the Burdekin River Irrigation area from 1995 until 2016. Cr Hatch worked as a Sugar Chemist at the Pioneer Sugar Mill in Brandon.
Cr Hatch and her husband felt the lure of the west, and in October 2016 they purchased The Wellshot Hotel in Ilfracombe. She lives at Newstead Station and is enjoying developing The Wellshot into a hotel enjoyed by tourists and locals alike.
Since arriving in Ilfracombe, she has been active in the community participating in the various community groups when needed such as the Ilfracombe District Progress Association, Ilfracombe Clay Target Club, Ilfracombe Race Committee and any other social occasions being planned.
Cr Hatch and her husband Paul have two children, Heidi and Annabel.
Councillor Andrew Watts
Email: crwatts@longreach.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0439 095 436
Committees: Regional Arts Development Fund Advisory Committee
Cr Andrew Watts embodies leadership with a deep connection to his community. Celebrated as the 2024 Longreach Citizen of the Year, he champions local interests with a rich background in business and media. His experience in Longreach, spanning over 16 years, underlines his dedication to regional prosperity and community welfare. Actively involved in agricultural and tourism sectors, Cr Watts advocates for economic sustainability. His presidency at the Longreach Jockey Club exemplifies his volunteerism and commitment to community spirit. Through inclusive and forward-thinking initiatives, he aims to amplify the region’s voice, ensuring a vibrant future for all residents.
