Several pubs in rural Queensland have been slapped with fines of more than $6000, sparking outrage from their small communities.

The Federal Hotel in Wallumbilla is the only pub for the town of 400 residents and was one of the venues targeted by police, with the owner saying she’s facing bankruptcy as a result.

Agriculture Minister and local member for Maranoa David Littleproud told Deborah Knight there are three rural pubs in his electorate who have copped huge fines, and he’s going in to bat for them.

“It’s just big government out of control.

“We’re hundreds of kilometres from the nearest case.”

Mr Littleproud said he’s called on Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to show “common sense” and waive the fines, arguing the publicans and their staff hadn’t had time to adjust to new restrictions.

“There was no malice in it, there was no intent.

“I wrote to the Premier yesterday just to have some compassion. These pubs are going broke.

“We just can’t afford more deterioration of these small country towns.

“When you lose the heart and soul, your pub, you’re buggered.”

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Image: Flickr (Creative Commons)/Mattinbgn, Twitter/David Littleproud