Qld’s new top cop ‘one of the best policing minds in Australia’

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.”

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