Ipswich West MP Wendy Bourne is calling on the state government to reverse planned staffing cuts at Rosewood train station, warning the move will reduce safety, accessibility and support for passengers.
Ms Bourne said the station, which is the end of the Ipswich rail line, will no longer be staffed after 1pm on weekdays and will have no staff on weekends under the changes. She said the station is heavily used by students, fruit pickers, commuters and people connecting to buses toward Gatton.
She said the loss of staff would also affect access to public facilities and create difficulties for passengers with disability who may need assistance getting on and off trains.
Ms Bourne also criticised recent rail disruptions linked to Queensland Rail industrial action, saying local offices were left to handle community concerns without adequate notice. She called for the government and rail workers to return to negotiations and resolve the dispute quickly.
The MP said the timing of the disruption was especially difficult given ongoing fuel price pressures, with more families turning to public transport to save money. She said rising fuel costs were adding pressure across the community, including for farmers, freight operators and households already dealing with higher grocery and insurance costs.
Ms Bourne also encouraged residents to get their flu vaccination and COVID booster ahead of winter, saying both are free and can be received at the same time through local pharmacies.
On housing, Ms Bourne said she recently hosted the Shadow Housing Minister in Ipswich West to inspect local housing issues and meet frontline homelessness workers. The visit included discussions with the Ipswich Housing and Homelessness Network and a look at new social housing projects, including a 24-unit development in North Ipswich supported by federal funding.
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