As it happened: Brisbane on Friday, November 29 (2024)

The head of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General under the Miles Labor government, Jasmina Joldić, told staff she was proud the agency had become “a leader in justice policy and, increasingly, in human services delivery”.

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Joldić sent a farewell email to staff on November 1, the day she said the incoming Crisafulli LNP government advised would be her last in the role.

In her email, Joldić cited the department’s key achievements as “nation-leading reforms in women’s safety and violence preventing, and providing more support to victims of crime”.

“Public service is a noble profession, and I encourage you to remember the difference you are making,” she wrote.

“As a first-time chief executive, I will always be grateful for the way you embraced me into the role. I have tried to lead with curiosity, courage and competence, wrapped up in lots of hard work and kindness. If I can leave you with anything – it is that kindless is a genuine choice and we can all choose to bring kindness to the way we work and lead.”

Joldić made clear staff should serve the government of the day and “it is the government’s prerogative to appoint the leaders of departments”.

A Virgin Australia pilot controlling a flight from Brisbane to Melbourne grabbed the wrong knob when trying to unlock the cabin door for a colleague and tilted the plane instead.

The mistake, in the sky west of Ballina in September 2023, made the plane tilt 42 degrees, setting off alarms and leading to a crew member being injured while trying to stabilise a service cart in the cabin.

An investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the Pilot Monitoring (PM) had looked at the flight deck door unlock switch but then “diverted their attention to the door, and instead of grasping the door switch, the rudder trim control was selected”.

“The PM then activated that control, and inadvertently applied full left rudder trim for about 8 seconds instead of unlocking the door,” the ATSB found, in a report released today.

It was not the first time such a mistake had been made. In one previous incident, in 2011, turning the wrong knob sent a plane into a 60-second nosedive.

The ATSB said Boeing had previously distributed a service letter “to notify operators of the potential for confusion of the rudder trim knob and the secure flight deck door knob located on the aisle stand”.

Virgin Australia has now also modified its procedures for crew members requesting entry to the flight deck.

Police have charged two men – aged 48 and 33 – with one count of murder each after discovering a body in a Redbank Plains residence yesterday evening.

Emergency services were called about 8.40pm yesterday to an apartment on Lillian Street and arrived on-scene to find a deceased 43-year-old man and a 48-year-old man.

Regional crime co-ordinator for Ipswich George Marchesini said the 43-year-old had “suffered significant stabbing injuries”.

The 48-year-old Redbank Plains man was arrested and assisted police with questions.

This afternoon police located a second man – aged 33 – who they suspected was connected to the death in Goodna, and took him into custody.

Police have charged both men with one count of murder each, with the 48-year-old appearing before Ipswich Magistrates Court today and the 33-year-old expected to appear tomorrow.

Investigators alleged all three men were known to one another and “wasn’t a random attack”
Marchesini maintained investigations into the 43-year-old man’s death were ongoing, and urged members of the public with information to come forward.

“Detectives have been working on this case right through the night until this stage and we still have some way to go in this investigation as well,” he said.

The Lions will go into their sixth AFLW Grand Final on Saturday, head to head with North Melbourne at Princes Park in Melbourne from 6.45pm Brisbane time. Pubs across town will screen all the action, live and loud.

If you’re not glued to the screen then Milton Christmas Twilight Markets are also on Saturday, 4-10pm. Quaff beers at the Brewdolph Pop-Up Bar, fill your Santa sack with handmade gifts, nibble on street food, and amuse the kids with roving entertainers and the petting zoo.

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It’s on again from tomorrow: the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art takes over the QAG and the GOMA with spectacular work by 70 artists from more than 30 countries. Admission is free, and with rain forecast, this might prove a smart bet.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is one of the most recognised, and arguably among the greatest, pieces of music ever composed. Queensland Symphony Orchestra is performing it this weekend at the Concert Hall of QPAC in their Ode to Joy concerts.

Disney sequel Moana 2 has resourceful wayfinder Moana of Motunui torn between venturing beyond the reef and staying put to play with her new sister, Simea. It’s in cinemas everywhere.

The Enchanted Garden continues at Roma Street Parkland. See LED lights, glittering lasers and sparkling night-time projections nightly from 6.30pm, with tickets just $7-$9.

Sticking with the 2032 Games for now, and Premier David Crisafulli has also set the stage for the 100-day review of planning to-date to be carried out by the new authority members.

The terms of reference largely track with what Crisafulli has been talking about for months now: ensuring the right venues are in the right places, transport connections between them work, and that all of this provides a legacy benefit for Queenslanders under existing funds.

While Crisafulli has also been clear that there would not be a “new” flagship stadium in any plans he championed, he has confirmed a full rebuild of the Gabba was not off the table.

However, his comments at today’s event seemed to also feature a slight change in language – swapping “new” for “extra”.

“I don’t think Brisbane needs an extra stadium. What I think we need is world class venues and we don’t have that at the moment. We’ve allowed that to disappear,” he said.

Sitting beside him on the stage, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner then piped up.

“The Premier’s right, we don’t need an extra stadium, we need two stadiums. We don’t need three stadiums, we need two stadiums, and as long as they’re two world-class stadiums, I’ll be really happy,” he said.

Crisafulli replied: “I have heard you, Lord Mayor, and heard your commentary about QSAC, and I reflected that and … I’m looking forward to this board doing its work.”

Flights between Brisbane and Doha are due to take off in June 2025 after the competition watchdog granted interim approval for Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways to work together.

Qatar Airways had signalled its intention to take a 25 per cent stake in Australia’s second-largest airline, if approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board.

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The interim approval means Qatar and Virgin will be able to advertise flights to and from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne scheduled from June.

“Passengers generally purchase long-haul international flights well in advance of their travel and that a reasonable lead time will enhance the financial viability of these initial services,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said.

“If the airlines were not given permission for these services to go ahead in June, the next financially viable opportunity to launch the flights would not be until December 2025 to coincide with the end-of-year peak travel season.

“In this scenario, the effect would be that either consumers experience delays in not being able to access these valuable new services until later in the year, or otherwise the (airlines) would suffer commercial detriment by launching new services at a time of low demand.”

Premier David Crisafulli has finally unveiled the team tasked with a new 100-day review of 2032 Games planning, and its implementation beyond that.

The seven members of the newly renamed Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority are:

• Commercial property figure Stephen Conry AM (chair)
• Sports administrator Jill Davies
• Developer Laurence Lancini AM
• Former transport executive Sue Johnson
• Entertainment figure Tony Cochrane AM
• Queensland Property Council chief executive Jess Caire
• Northern Queensland tourism and hospitality figure Jamie Fitzpatrick

Crisafulli said the group, with a “vast array of backgrounds” would “test each other” and come forward with solutions.

“This is seven of the best and brightest that are beyond reproach, and they’re not going to hand [in] a report and then run away,” he said.

“They are going to be there to drive it and see it through. And so within 100 days, you are going to have a clear picture.”

One of Australia’s worst paedophiles has been jailed for life for hundreds of sex offences he committed over the course of 19 years while working in childcare centres.

Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, returned to the dock in Brisbane District Court today for the completion of his sentencing hearing.

He has pleaded guilty to 28 counts of rape against girls primarily aged three to five at childcare centres in Queensland between 2007 and 2022.

Judge Paul Smith imposed a non-parole period of 27 years and said Griffith was “depraved and has a high risk of reoffending”.

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