Stirling Hinchliffe has quit as a minister in the Palaszczuk government despite being absolved from blame in the Queensland Rail staffing crisis.
Mr Hinchliffe announced his shock resignation as both transport and Commonwealth Games minister just as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk released a report into the QR debacle.
He will remain Leader of the House while Deputy Premier Jackie Trad takes over the transport portfolio for now and Treasurer Curtis Pitt becomes the fourth Commonwealth Games minister in three years.
While the Liberal National Party has been calling for him to be axed for four months, Mr Hinchliffe's resignation ironically came after Phillip Strachan's key report into the QR saga only took aim at the rail provider's management.
He said it was a "tough personal decision" but one in the best interests of the government to make a fresh start.
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"The issues at Queensland Rail have been some of the most challenging and, at times, frustrating issues I have needed to manage as a minister," Mr Hinchliffe said in a statement.
"I know that they have been a distraction for the government's core task of delivering jobs for Queenslanders.
"I'm pleased that following a rough slog we have been able to begin to turn this issue around and today marks a line in the sand on the matter."
Fronting a press conference, Ms Palaszczuk said she was sorry to see Mr Hinchliffe step down.
"I want to thank Stirling for his service, it has taken a personal toll on him and his family," she told reporters in Brisbane.
"These are tough jobs, and family must come first."
However Opposition Transport Spokesperson Andrew Powell said Mr Hinchliffe's resignation validates the repeated calls for him to be removed as minister.
"The real question is, why didn't premier Palaszczuk sack him months ago?" Mr Powell said.
Fresh from delivering his report, Mr Strachan, a former Rio Tinto executive, is now the new chairman of QR's board and takes the lead role appointing a new chief executive.
Mr Strachan said neither the minority Labor government or the previous LNP government were to blame for the staffing crisis.
Mr Strachan's report found serious cultural and procedural issues at QR were the cause of major network problems since October, including on Christmas Day when 235 services were cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.
It found the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula line and subsequent timetable changes overloaded QR's ability to put drivers in trains, due to "restrictive crewing rules agreed between unions and management" as well as a decline in the number of qualified drivers.
In addition, the crisis wasn't dealt with due to systemic communications issues.
The report makes 36 recommendations, chief among them to strip three levels of bureaucracy from QR and improving the "line of sight" between frontline staff and management.
It also calls on the government to look at overhauling the organisation.
