Following knife attack on Translink employees in Robina Town Centre, calls for increased security in Queensland's shopping centres are growing

Police and paramedics were called to Robina Town Centre Drive on the Gold Coast at around 1pm on Wednesday after reports that a man had been stabbed in the hip.

A 60-year-old bus safety officer, who reportedly worked for Translink, was found with non-life-threatening injuries and taken to hospital in a stable condition.

A large-scale manhunt is currently underway for the fugitive attacker.

The latest stabbing has renewed urgent calls for better security in shopping malls, following a series of incidents in the Sunshine State this year.

Cindy Micallef, the daughter of elderly grandmother Vyleen White, who was allegedly stabbed to death by a teenager in front of her six-year-old granddaughter at a shopping centre in February, was “horrified” when she heard about the attack on the Gold Coast.

Speaking to Sunrise on Thursday, Ms Micallef said shoppers “pretty much” need a security guard by their side to ensure they can visit malls safely.

“This is the consensus in Queensland and other states. I did my own little survey last week. People are saying, 'Look, we can't go to shops without security or police presence because unfortunately these incidents are not isolated cases,'” she said.

“What happened to the priority of putting the safety of Queenslanders and the public first?”

Ms Micallef would like to see more security guards, either hired by the malls or another company, to patrol and hopefully deter people from committing crimes.

Over the past three years, 14 police stations have been closed, including the one at Robina Town Centre on the Gold Coast, leaving shoppers fearful for their safety.

Mobile police patrols have been temporarily deployed to cover the closed roads, but some believe that this is not enough to protect the population.

“If the current government insists on removing police from shopping centres, there must be a replacement solution. Unfortunately… there is no replacement solution,” Ms Micallef said.

In March, the Miles government launched a large-scale nationwide crackdown on crime, deploying prominent police officers to known hotspots.

“Part of the … operation will include expanding crime prevention initiatives such as 'Bring the Beat', where citizens can request the deployment of a mobile police unit in their area,” said a statement from Prime Minister Steven Miles and Police Minister Mark Ryan.

The measures also included more than 165,000 patrols in crime hotspots, shopping mall walks, bail reviews, community engagement and other activities.

Police are still trying to determine the motive behind Wednesday's incident on the Gold Coast.

The bus's security guard was reportedly patrolling bus stops for fare dodgers when he decided to walk into a corridor accessible only to staff and was attacked.