Mount Isa City Council made the challenge to prove a political point about how much hardship the removal of the Inlander Rail’s sleeping carriages and dining car will cause the regular traveller. 

But it seems Scott Emerson has declined to take the 977-kilometre journey from Townsville to Mount Isa, saying he had no time for political stunts. 

He flipped the challenge back at Mount Isa councillors, encouraging them “to travel on the Inlander as I have”. 

“As Transport Minister, my top priorities are the safety of passengers and services for Queenslanders – not political stunts,” Mr Emerson said. 

He said the carriages were being retired due to safety reasons. 

But the Inlander service will remain in operation, which the Newman government would continue to subsidise by more than $2000 a passenger. 

Mount Isa Mayor Tony McGrady countered the second challenge with: “I will match the number of times he [Mr Emerson] travels from Townsville to Mount Isa on the Inlander during 2015.” 

Last week Mount Isa City councillors expressed concern that removal of comfort carriages would decrease travellers on the service, eventually leading to the Inlander’s closure. 

Deputy Mayor Brett Peterson made the challenge that Mr Emerson and his political advisers should travel the train if the comfort carriages were removed in the new year.

Cr Peterson said refurbished sleeper carriages were needed, and the removal of Inlander comfort carriages affected six cities and shires. 

These were Mount Isa, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Richmond, Flinders and Charters Towers.

The motion was supported by Cr Jean Ferris.

Cr Ferris said the Inlander was used for senior citizens and for school camping trips. 

“Without facilities for food it will be chaos for staff and teachers,” Cr Ferris said. 

Children would have to travel up to 20 hours without a place to sleep. 

“It’s an absolute slap in the face for us,” she said. 

Cr Kim Coghlan said Mount Isa needed to back the challenge. 

Removal of Inlander services meant cuts to employment of freight carriers, drivers and cleaners.

“We’ve got to make a lot of noise for this one,” she said. 

Mount Isa City Mayor Tony McGrady said the Department of Transport’s decision to remove Inlander comfort carriages came about the same time as an announcement to upgrade the Roma Street Transit Facility, which is believed to cost $60 million. 

“There’s one rule for the city and one rule for the bush and I think that typifies that,” Cr McGrady said. 

State MP for Mount Isa Robbie Katter believed the council’s motion was “an excellent idea” which he was happy to support. “I have had discussions with the minister’s office about the cancellation of the sleeper carriages and dining car on the Inlander and they are well aware of my position,” he said. 

He said the government should be careful how it treats people in rural and regional Queensland if there was a balance of power after the next election.