Queensland Police Service Archives

Former Gordon Park Resident and Police Chief Steve ‘Golly’ Gollschewski Dies

Photo Credit: DavidCrisafulliMP/Facebook

Former Queensland Police Commissioner Steve “Golly” Gollschewski, who lived in Gordon Park for about 15 years before relocating to the Sunshine Coast, has died after an 18-month battle with cancer.

Mr Gollschewski died on 4 September, aged 67, after a policing career spanning more than 46 years. His family said he died surrounded by loved ones after a sudden complication during his cancer journey.

Fifteen years in Gordon Park

Mr Gollschewski and his wife, Rebecca, had a home in Gordon Park for about 15 years before selling the property in 2021.

The home was close to Kedron Brook. The couple later relocated to the Sunshine Coast, where property records showed they had bought at Peregian Beach.

His connection to Brisbane’s northside also included police work. An official career biography records that he served at Boondall Criminal Investigation Branch in 1996 before working on the Carter Inquiry and later joining the Ethical Standards Command.

From detective to commissioner

Born in Brisbane and educated at Mt Gravatt, Mr Gollschewski joined the then-Queensland Police Force in 1980. He served in Maroochydore, Brisbane and Dalby before moving into plain-clothes policing and qualifying as a detective.

His career later included organised crime, intelligence and senior regional commands. He became a deputy commissioner in 2013 after serving as an assistant commissioner and chief superintendent.

Photo Credit: DavidCrisafulliMP/Facebook

Mr Gollschewski also held senior operational roles during major floods, cyclones and bushfires. He was involved in the police response to the 2011 Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley floods and later served as strategic commander for security operations at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he oversaw police operations involving hotel quarantine, airports and Queensland’s road borders, becoming a familiar figure at public briefings.

Queensland’s top policing job

Mr Gollschewski became acting commissioner in February 2024 and was formally appointed Queensland’s 21st Police Commissioner in April.

At the time, he had already spent more than a decade as a deputy commissioner and more than 40 years in policing. He said his focus was on ensuring Queenslanders were safe and felt safe while supporting officers across the service.

He stepped away from the role in February 2025 after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. After treatment, he returned to full duties later that year before announcing his retirement in February 2026.

Police Minister Dan Purdie said at the time that Mr Gollschewski had served Queensland with professionalism and integrity and had led the state through major disasters and emergencies.

National recognition before his death

Mr Gollschewski was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours for distinguished service to law enforcement, counter-terrorism activities and the community.

Known throughout Queensland Police as “Golly”, he retired after more than four decades in policing, having risen from constable to commissioner.

For about 15 of those years, Gordon Park was home.

Published 7-Sept-2026

When Telstra Went Down, Kedron Kept Triple Zero Running

When Telstra’s mobile network began failing early on Wednesday, July 8, the first signs seemed ordinary enough. Mobile signals disappeared. EFTPOS terminals stopped working. Commuters struggled to access transport apps, while businesses across Australia dealt with interrupted phone and data services. In Kedron, however, the outage carried a different weight.

The Brisbane suburb is home to one of Queensland’s emergency communications centres, where Triple Zero calls are received before being transferred to police, ambulance and other emergency services. On most days, that handover takes only seconds. On Wednesday, the nationwide outage made it harder for emergency responders to reconnect with some callers using affected Telstra services.

The Void on the Other End

Health Minister Tim Nicholls said emergency calls continued to be received through the Kedron communications centre during the outage. The biggest challenge came after the initial call.

As Queensland Ambulance Service and other emergency responders tried to call some people back for more information, the network disruption prevented some of those calls from getting through immediately.

Queensland Health said emergency crews later made contact with every affected caller. Even so, the outage highlighted how heavily emergency services rely on stable telecommunications networks to stay connected with the public.

A Fog of Disinformation

As Telstra worked to restore its network, authorities began piecing together the full impact on emergency communications.

Mr Nicholls said Telstra had not initially told the Queensland Government about 17 missed Triple Zero calls affecting the Queensland Police Service. Most of those calls came from regional Queensland. He said Queensland was seeking a clearer explanation from Telstra, including whether the company’s callback systems operated as intended during the disruption.

Queensland Police later confirmed every affected caller had been identified and contacted. Officers carried out welfare checks by phone and, where necessary, in person. Queensland Ambulance Service also confirmed that people who required medical assistance received help.

A software fault with nationwide consequences

While emergency services responded to the immediate challenges, Telstra worked to restore its network.

The company apologised for the outage and said a software fault affecting its network timing systems caused the disruption. It also said there was no evidence the incident was linked to a cyberattack.

For several hours, customers across Australia were unable to make calls or use mobile data. Businesses experienced EFTPOS outages, transport services were disrupted in several states and some customers needed extra time to reconnect once services began returning.

Kedron’s role comes into sharper focus

The outage has prompted a federal review into what happened and how emergency communications were affected. Communications Minister Anika Wells said authorities would work with the Triple Zero Custodian and the Australian Communications and Media Authority as investigations continue.

Kedron is simply another Brisbane suburb for many people. Wednesday’s outage offered a reminder that it also plays an important role in Queensland’s emergency communications network. While the disruption originated elsewhere, emergency calls continued to flow through the suburb as authorities worked to reconnect with callers and help those who needed assistance.

Published 9-July-2026

Number Plate Thefts Rise Across North Brisbane as Residents Warned to Secure Cars

A string of stolen number plates across North Brisbane has pushed police to warn drivers that a small piece of metal on the back of a car can quickly become a tool for bigger crimes. In just 24 hours, officers received seven reports of registration plates being taken from parked vehicles in suburbs stretching from Sandgate to Hamilton, raising concerns among residents already dealing with vehicle break-ins and theft across the city.

The warning was issued on May 8 by Sgt Jodie Murray through the Queensland Police Service after thefts were reported in Kedron, Hamilton, Northgate, Wilston and Sandgate.

Police said stolen registration plates are often attached to other vehicles to avoid detection during criminal activity, including fuel theft, traffic offences and the use of stolen cars. The practice can also leave innocent drivers dealing with toll notices, fines and police inquiries linked to offences they did not commit.

North Brisbane suburbs see sharp increase in plate thefts

Officers from the Gateway District Crime Prevention Unit said the recent cases appeared opportunistic, with thieves targeting vehicles parked on streets and in open areas where screws could be removed quickly.

Police are now encouraging drivers to replace standard screws with anti-theft fittings designed to make number plates harder to remove. The special one-way screws can only be taken out using equipment carried by police.

The crime prevention unit has been distributing free anti-theft screw packs to North Brisbane residents through an online request program first introduced several years ago. The packs include screws and vehicle security information aimed at reducing repeat offences.

Residents urged to rethink where vehicles are parked overnight

Police are also advising residents to use locked garages, gated driveways or off-street parking whenever possible, particularly overnight.

Vehicle-related theft has remained a concern across parts of Brisbane, with registration plates often targeted because they can be removed in less than a minute using common tools.

The Queensland Police Service North Brisbane crime prevention page states that securing plates properly can reduce the risk of stolen identifiers being used in further offences.

Authorities are asking anyone who notices suspicious behaviour around parked vehicles to report it through Policelink or anonymously through Crime Stoppers Queensland.

Community concern grows as stolen plates linked to wider offences

For many drivers, the theft of a number plate may appear minor compared with car theft, but police say the impact can spread far beyond the original crime scene.

Once stolen plates are attached to another vehicle, they can complicate investigations and create stress for vehicle owners who later receive notices connected to offences committed by someone else.

Published 12-May-2026

100 Lives Lost on Queensland Roads: Authorities Urge Safer Driving

With 100 lives already lost on Queensland roads this year, local emergency leaders are joining the urgent call for safer driving behaviour as part of a state-wide plea from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS).

Read: Incident on Perry Street Leaves Cyclist In Critical Condition

April marked the deadliest month so far in 2025, with 27 fatalities. QAS Metro North Assistant Commissioner Tony Armstrong said the loss of 100 lives is a sobering reminder that road safety is a shared responsibility.

“Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy, and it’s up to all of us to make the right decisions so we all get home safely,” Assistant Commissioner Armstrong said.

“Road fatalities not only impact you – but your loved ones, your community, and the emergency services who are dedicated to assist you.”

While Armstrong’s Metro North office covers a wide area including Kedron, the message hits particularly close to home for local paramedics and responders based at the recently expanded Kedron Emergency Services Complex, which plays a central role in responding to serious traffic incidents across Brisbane’s northside.

The upgrade to the complex, completed in late 2023, was aimed at improving emergency response capacity in a growing region—but as the fatal crash toll rises, even upgraded facilities are no substitute for prevention.

QPS Road Policing Acting Assistant Commissioner Shane Holmes said authorities are doing all they can—boosting patrols, using data to target high-risk areas, and launching public awareness campaigns—but cannot solve the problem alone.

“These 100 lives lost aren’t just statistics,” Holmes said. “They’re mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and friends—real people whose lives were cut short.”

Holmes added that enforcement alone won’t fix the issue, and stressed the need to address the “Fatal Five” road risks: speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing seatbelts, driver fatigue and distraction.

The reminder comes at the close of National Road Safety Week (May 11–18), a time for communities to honour lives lost or changed forever by road trauma—and to commit to safer behaviours behind the wheel.

As Kedron locals commute daily along some of Brisbane’s busiest arterial roads, Armstrong and other emergency service leaders are urging drivers to slow down, stay alert, and think of the wider impact of their actions.

Read: Community-Driven Safer School Precinct Launches in Kedron

“Simple decisions—like driving sober and putting your phone away—can save a life,” Armstrong said. “Maybe even your own.”

To learn more about the Fatal Five and how to stay safe, visit the QPS road safety page: police.qld.gov.au/initiatives/fatal-five-staying-safe-roads

Published 22-May-2025