As it happened: Brisbane on Tuesday, May 6

Residents of south-east Queensland would be set a daily benchmark for water usage under a state government reform plan.

The plan, which will go out to consultation this week, seeks to make the water grid more responsive to changes in supply and demand.

While the benchmark would likely be set at 165 litres per person per day for residential use, in line with current averages, Seqwater would pay closer attention to times of peak demand and also pursue efficiency measures.

“You could be asked to adopt water-saving practices in your daily life all year round, such as set times for watering your garden or routinely checking for leaks,” a consultation paper states.

Before the election, the LNP vowed to review water plans and also flagged the possibility of a new dam in south-east Queensland. It ruled out a new desalination plant on the Sunshine Coast.

Thanks for joining us for live coverage of today’s news. We will have more for you in our next coverage. In the meantime, here are some of the stories that made headlines today.

Newly elected member for Griffith, Renee Coffey, grew up with no illusions about the pressures of the job: Kevin Rudd was a family friend. On Saturday night, she snatched victory from Greens identity Max Chandler-Mather, bringing the seat back into the Labor fold.

Leaked documents show the Liberals’ pollster raised the alarm about the opposition’s thin tax policy and told Peter Dutton he had to lighten up as the opposition leader’s popularity cratered and his party careened towards a historic loss.

And with Greens leader Adam Bandt at serious risk of losing his seat, and Liberal Tim Wilson pulling in front of Zoe Daniel in Goldstein, our live coverage of the federal election wash-up continues. Follow vote counting updates around the nation as the PM takes his first steps in his second term.

Of the four guests who ate beef Wellington at Erin Patterson’s house in 2023, only one survived. Now, Ian Wilkinson is telling his story.

The red carpet has rolled out for the 2025 Met Gala in New York. Read back on our live coverage of the event as fashion editor Damien Woolnough and lifestyle writer Lauren Ironmonger sift through the best looks from fashion’s biggest night.

And leading Wallabies five-eighth contender Tom Lynagh has thrown his support behind James O’Connor earning a shock Test recall, as he shed light on the mentorship role he played that inspired his own career-best form.

Queensland’s Minister for Women Fiona Simpson will launch FW in Brisbane tonight alongside founder and managing director Helen McCabe.

FW, formerly known as Future Women, began with a strong presence in Sydney and Melbourne but this week will begin holding in-person salon events in Brisbane supported by Queensland senior female leaders.

McCabe, the former editor-in-chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, said the business was delayed in launching in-person events in Brisbane but is thrilled to be hosting the first salon event at the Crystalbrook Vincent Hotel, Howard Smith Wharves.

The event is billed as a rare opportunity to hear Simpson speak about power, politics and faith in an off-the-record setting, and is part of FW’s Diamond Salon series, which platforms female leaders across Australia.

“Diamond is about creating spaces where women can connect, learn, lead and give back,” McCabe said. “They are an opportunity for our members to connect, while also providing rare access to industry leaders – the kind of people whose decisions carry real weight and influence.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has described US President Donald Trump’s announced 100 per cent tariff on non-US film production as a “kick in the guts” for the local industry.

“My concern is that it sends a message that you shouldn’t film outside the USA, and yet our facility is world class,” Tate said.

Young people in the film industry would be the worst off, he added.

“They are the ones who are vulnerable with their jobs. They might have to temporarily change course in their career, and that’s disheartening.”

He said he would write to both the prime minister and Trump voicing his concerns.

The mayor’s announcement came as the annual Screen Forever conference began at the Star Event Centre, Broadbeach.

Newly elected member for Griffith, Renee Coffey, grew up with no illusions about the pressures of the job: former Griffith MP Kevin Rudd was a family friend.

Coffey attended the same primary school as the children of Rudd and Therese Rein – Morningside State School – and the Rudds were frequent houseguests at family Friday night dinners.

Renee Coffey (left) sits on her parents’ front steps in Hawthorne with school friend Jessica Rudd in the mid-’90s.

“I would see Kevin roll up several hours after everybody else, absolutely shattered from community events. So I had that modelling from a very young age about what it looks like to be a really engaged member of parliament,” Coffey said.

On Saturday night, the Norman Park resident snatched victory from Greens identity Max Chandler-Mather, overcoming a 10.5 per cent margin and bringing the seat back into the Labor fold.

Read more from our interview with Renee Coffey about her victory in Griffith.

As Brisbane recovers from a blockbuster Magic Round weekend, early estimates suggest a record-breaking year for the event.

Speaking on ABC Radio this morning, Brisbane Economic Development Agency chief executive Anthony Ryan said they’re expecting final figures to show this year’s event injected over $50 million into the economy.

Events across the city – including Queen’s Wharf’s ‘Fan Land’ – were an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the Magic Round excitement.Credit: Star Entertainment

“We’re still doing the final number crunching … but we do expect it will break all records,” Ryan said, adding that official numbers would be released in two to three weeks.

Brisbane has hosted Magic Round – a concept that sees every NRL team play across one weekend in a single venue – since its launch in 2019. The city has the rights to host the event until 2027, when it will go back out to tender.

Ryan said the event has continued to be a huge success for Brisbane, boosting the local economy and strengthening the city’s brand ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“[We had] over 50,000 out of region visitors to the city [this year],” Ryan said. “It brings extraordinary interest.”

Residents of south-east Queensland would be set a daily benchmark for water usage under a state government reform plan.

The plan, which will go out to consultation this week, seeks to make the water grid more responsive to changes in supply and demand.

While the benchmark would likely be set at 165 litres per person per day for residential use, in line with current averages, Seqwater would pay closer attention to times of peak demand and also pursue efficiency measures.

“You could be asked to adopt water-saving practices in your daily life all year round, such as set times for watering your garden or routinely checking for leaks,” a consultation paper states.

Before the election, the LNP vowed to review water plans and also flagged the possibility of a new dam in south-east Queensland. It ruled out a new desalination plant on the Sunshine Coast.

Premier David Crisafulli used Labour Day to announce police had detected 112 weapons out of 12,000 instances of wanding in the first three months of the year.

“We’ve got to turn the tide on a culture where young thugs believe they can carry weapons,” Crisafulli said, having moved to expand wanding operations.

“It’s not the US, we have zero tolerance, and we’ve got to throw the kitchen sink at this.”

But the LNP government won’t say how many of the people wanded were caught with drugs, nor whether it still intends to remove drug diversion programs and send more offenders to overcrowded prisons.

A previous five-month snapshot of wanding data revealed 48 per cent of all offences were drug-related, with only 15 per cent of offences relating to knives.

Police Minister Dan Purdie’s office said the government was still “reviewing legislation to overhaul Labor’s soft-on-drug approach”.

“Condoning illicit drug use of any kind will not be tolerated,” the office said in a statement.

The Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee has a new point-person in Switzerland, after its former liaison was elected the International Olympic Committee’s president.

Philippines equestrian star-turned-sports official Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski was appointed overnight as the new chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032.

That makes Jaworski the Brisbane organising committee’s main contact point with the IOC in Lausanne.

New Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032 Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski. Credit: IOC

Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris welcomed Jaworski’s elevation to the role.

“Mikaela has a deep understanding and history of time in Australia and amongst Australians and has been a positive and supportive voice as part of Brisbane 2032’s Coordination Commission since its formation,” he said.

“I look forward to welcoming Mikaela and our Coordination Commission to Brisbane this month for our first in-country meeting and the chance to provide detailed updates on our progress.

“I also acknowledge my appreciation to former Coordination Commission chair, now president-elect, Kirsty Coventry on her continued support of Brisbane 2032’s Organising Committee overall and wish her well as she prepares to ascend to the IOC presidency next month.”

After a season of lowlights both on and off the field, Brisbane Roar has parted ways with A-League Men’s coach Ruben Zadkovich, effective immediately.

Roar chief executive Kaz Patafta confirmed the “mutually agreed” departure this morning.

“The club would like to acknowledge and thank Ruben for his commitment and efforts during his tenure in Brisbane,” he said.

Departing Brisbane Roar Men’s Head Coach, Ruben Zadkovich.Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“Ruben leaves with our best wishes for his future endeavours, as we begin to chart a new course here at the club.”

A new coach was expected to be announced in “the coming days”, with former Ajax assistant coach Michael Valkanis and youth team coach Karl Dodd – a former national team coach for Guam – considered frontrunners.

The Roar finished second-last on the A-League table, four points ahead of wooden spooners Perth Glory. The drop in form has coincided with a significant drop in crowds at Suncorp Stadium, which has been beset by poor pitch issues.

Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls is speaking to journalists in Brisbane this morning.

It comes one day after thousands of union members took to the streets for the Labour Day march, with nurses and midwives calling for a pay rise in EBA negotiations.

It has also been revealed $20.8 million worth of illegal tobacco and vapes have been seized in just one week, under a Queensland Health, police and Therapeutic Goods Administration operation.

Watch the press conference live here: