Ministerial Statement: Queensland Rail signs lease on Ipswich office

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Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
08/10/2010

Queensland Rail signs lease on Ipswich office

Queensland Rail is returning to its roots after negotiating a lease on office space for its first corporate presence in Ipswich.

Transport Minister and Member for Ipswich Rachel Nolan said Ipswich, the traditional home of rail in Queensland, was the perfect location for a new Queensland Rail premise.

"Queensland Rail was born in Ipswich in 1865 when the first railway to Grandchester was opened," Ms Nolan said.

"For 150 years, the city and the railway have had strong ties and this new office cements the connection.

"Queensland Rail's new Ipswich office at 38 Limestone Street will initially house around 30 operations staff but could accommodate up to 50 staff in the future.

"A range of operational roles will be based at the Ipswich office including Human Resources, Customer Service, Strategy and Corporate Services and legal services.

"This is part of the State Government's commitment to staged decentralisation of government services, which will reduce pressure on the Brisbane CBD.

"It's also an outcome of the State Government's growth management summit earlier this year.

"Many Ipswich-based staff live nearby so the move will mean they can live and work locally.

"Shorter travel time will mean staff can spend more time with their families and generally enjoy better work-life balance.

"The building is also within easy walking distance of the train station so staff can continue to catch public transport to and from the office."

Queensland Rail has signed a lease on office space at The Limestone Street Centre, which is owned by the Joint Venture formed and managed by Trident Corporation.

Queensland Rail expects to begin operations at the Ipswich office by December once the fit-out is complete.

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From the Queensland Times click here!

QR headquarters to move to Ipswich

QR headquarters to move to Ipswich

Zane Jackson | 9th October 2010

QUEENSLAND Rail has taken the first step towards moving its headquarters to Ipswich after negotiating a lease on office space in Limestone Street.

About 30 Queensland Rail staff will start working in the temporary office by December, with executive staff to split their time between the new site and its current Brisbane base.

The offices are an interim measure, with a permanent base likely to be located in the soon-to- be-redeveloped Ipswich mall by 2013.

Transport Minister and Member for Ipswich Rachel Nolan said the first workers to move across had volunteered for the positions.

She said the movement of more staff from Brisbane to Ipswich would be a gradual process.

"A range of operational roles will be based at the Ipswich office, including human resources, customer service, strategy and corporate services and legal services," Ms Nolan said.

"For 150 years the city and the railway have had strong ties, and this new office cements the connection."

The move to Limestone Street Centre is part of the State Govern- ment's pledge to decentralise services. Some positions will stay in the State capital while satellite offices in outer-Brisbane suburbs are a possibility.

Rail Tram and Bus Union State secretary Owen Doogan criticised the move, and said hundreds of workers will have their jobs moved to Ipswich in the coming years despite them having homes and families in Brisbane.

"The recent press releases about 'QR returning to its roots of 150 years ago' must be pretty embarrassing for those QR people who don't live their working day in romantic fantasies," he said.