Translink boss Deborah Hume steps down from role after brief secondment to Queensland Rail
The Queensland boss of the state’s public transport network has resigned after being given a once-a-year secondment to a high-paying role; The department, which has faced widespread scrutiny over rail maintenance and subsequent commuter delays, is now searching for a replacement.
Deborah Hume has been recruited from New Zealand to become deputy director general of the ministry’s Translink division in 2025.
He was dismissed in September and placed in a temporary position with Queensland Railways, according to internal department communications seen by this imprint. Hume subsequently resigned from the ministry altogether last month for family reasons.
Hume, who has decades of public transport policy experience across the Tasman, told this imprint that the move allowed him to return to New Zealand for “important family milestones”.
His departure was announced in internal communications to Department of Transport and Main Roads staff.
“Deb Hume advised that she would be leaving TMR and Queensland to return to New Zealand within the next few months,” the note said.
“Deb will move on after her six-month stint with Queensland Rail ends and her last day on the job will be 5 March 2026.”
The staffing update comes after TMR general manager Sally Stannard notified the department last year that Hume would be appointed to Queensland Rail.
“I have offered the highest level of hands-on support to Queensland Rail to help the rail network prepare for the transformation ahead,” Stannard wrote to staff at the time in a memo seen here.
“Translink Executive Vice President Deb Hume will be working offline starting today to handle this time-critical work.”
While Dean Helm will continue in his role as executive vice president of network services and operations, TMR is searching for Hume’s permanent replacement.
This month, the department announced a five-year contract for the role with annual pay of almost $390,000.
The Ministry confirmed the details of Hume’s resignation.
The search for a new public transport network boss comes as the government has been criticized for not adequately preparing for planned rail closures and as hundreds of commuters queued on suburban streets this week to buy new buses.
Queensland Railways said the delays were due to an industrial dispute.
Start your day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
James Hall is News Director of the Brisbane Times. He is a former Queensland correspondent for The Australian Financial Review and has covered a range of headlines across the country, specializing in political and financial reporting.Connect with: X or email.
