source : the age
A former state and federal deputy police commissioner has been parachuted into Queensland’s top law enforcement job after the shock announcement its outgoing boss will leave the role again.
Brett Pointing will take up the role of Queensland police commissioner on a 12-month interim basis from next week, taking over as Steve Gollschewski retires to focus on his health.
Appearing with Police Minister Dan Purdie at a media conference announcing his appointment in Brisbane on Monday morning, Pointing said the role felt like “coming home”.
Pointing is from a police family and previously rose to the rank of deputy commissioner in the state police force before moving to the same rank in the Australian Federal Police.
He spent the past 18 months as one of four members of the panel driving the recent 100-day review of Queensland police.
Gollschewski said Pointing had “one of the best policing minds in Australia”.
“I’m very blessed that I’m not starting from scratch,” Pointing said, declining to answer many questions until he received a briefing from Gollschewski this week.
Pointing said he would apply for the full-time role.
Purdie said Pointing was decided by he and Gollschewski over coffee last Friday, when the latter advised him he would bring forward the end to his term, originally set to be 2029.
“The Queensland Police is heading in the right direction, and Brett Pointing is the best person to continue that,” Purdie said.
“But my messaging to all police is that, you know, he is picking up the work of Steve Gollschewski.”
Answering other questions at the media conference, Purdie would not be drawn on his support for the new police integrity unit called for by the 2022 Richards Inquiry, deferring questions about its progress to Attorney-General Deb Frecklington.
While Purdie also said the government “don’t want people at a protest or elsewhere” chanting pro-Palestinian phrases set to be banned under proposed new laws, he said the “viability” of enforcing the ban on a large crowd would be up to police.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Matt Dennien is a reporter at Brisbane Times covering state politics and the public service. He has previously worked for newspapers in Tasmania and Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ. Contact him securely on Signal @mattdennien.15Connect via email.
