Former Australian Federal Police deputy takes over as Queensland’s Police Commissioner

Days after his name came up during a coffee break, Brett Pointing has been unveiled as a state’s next top cop.

He’ll take over from Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski, 66, who will retire on Friday to focus on his health after a cancer battle.

Mr Pointing has been appointed on a 12-month interim basis, capping a whirlwind process since Mr Gollschewski’s shock retirement announcement last week.

The police chief broke the news to minister Dan Purdie over a coffee, advising him that he would be fast tracking the end of his term originally set for 2029.

By the time they had finished their cuppa, one man was identified as the ideal replacement - former Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Mr Pointing.

“When we had the discussion, we both landed in the same space and said ‘Brett Pointing is the man’,” Mr Gollschewski told reporters on Monday.

Mr Purdie added: “Over that coffee it was quickly identified that the best person placed to continue ... the work that Golly has done was Brett Pointing.”

Mr Gollschewski said his successor had “one of the best policing minds in Australia”.

Mr Purdie added: “Steve Gollschewski has set the Queensland Police Service up for success, and Brett Pointing is the best person to take those steps forward.”

Mr Pointing was a police officer for more than four decades including a five year stint as deputy commissioner.

He then rose to become an Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner and was a panel member for last year’s Queensland Police 100-day review.

Hailing from a police family with a father and two brothers who also served, Mr Pointing said his new appointment felt like “coming home”.

Mr Pointing indicated he would apply for the full-time commissioner role.

“If the job is advertised I would be an applicant,” he said.

In the meantime he will take over on an interim basis from Mr Gollschewski, who will retire almost a year after a devastating diagnosis of stage four cancer.

He returned to service in September after treatment for the cancer, which spread from his lungs to his bones, liver and brain.

It has been a major factor in his decision to hang up the uniform after 46 years as part of the thin blue line.

He took over as commissioner in 2024 amid a youth crime crisis, tasked with repairing the damage from a scathing commission of inquiry that revealed a “failure of leadership” over a culture of racism and sexism.

“I’m very blessed that I’m not starting from scratch,” Mr Pointing said on Monday.