As it happened: Brisbane on December 4

Australian Test cricket star Usman Khawaja has slammed the state government’s request for Queensland Cricket and the Brisbane Lions to contribute $91 million collectively to the upgrade of the Brisbane Showgrounds, declaring that without government support the sport “will be broke in three, four years’ time”.

The proposal was put forward as a temporary playing ground for the respective organisations while The Gabba undergoes its $2.7 billion redevelopment to prepare for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

But Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat captain Khawaja labelled the suggestion “like renting a home for $100 million, and you don’t even own the complex”, adamant the way forward needed to instead be a commitment to enhancing the Allan Border Field facilities.

He said Queensland Cricket already stood to lose $45 million throughout the Gabba’s transformation without the ability to host Big Bash and international cricket, and without support the body would struggle to stay alive.

“I can’t really speak on behalf of Queensland Cricket funding and where they get that funding, but what I have spoken to the CEO Terry Svenson is we can’t get those kind of funds anywhere,” Khawaja said.

“Even if we do, we get not enough money back to us to validate that investment. It’s about $45 million we’ll be out of pocket over the four years. To be honest, if that’s the case, then I don’t know what’s going to happen – cricket will be broke in three, four years time.

“I think we need to be really mindful and have these tough conversations because Queensland Cricket is absolutely going to struggle. People will potentially lose their jobs. There’s lots of consequences from this if we don’t get help from the government.”

That’s where we’ll leave our live updates today. Have a great weekend and we’ll be back on Tuesday morning.

Here are some of the main local headlines making news today:

• The main cricket and AFL bodies will this week reject the Queensland government’s highly publicised request they collectively contribute $91 million towards the $137 million upgrade of the RNA main arena.

The new RNA showgrounds will feature a new rail station, but all major sports are set to say ‘no’ to the state government’s request to split $91 million between them, Brisbane City Council and the RNACredit: Cross River Rail Delivery Authority

• The family of a teenage boy who was killed hours after finishing school say going through a second trial for his accused killers feels like broken glass being rubbed into an open wound.
• Victorian federal Labor MP Peta Murphy has died, aged 50, after fighting cancer for many years following her diagnosis of breast cancer in 2011.
• A violent sex offender released from immigration detention following last month’s High Court ruling has faced court on two charges of indecent assault, as the government this week races to pass tough laws to place the most threatening offenders back behind bars.
• The former Liberal senator being courted by Labor for his crossbench vote used official email and Instagram accounts to flirt with women and pitch the services of his private PR business, leaked screenshots and emails show.
• An in-demand designer has helped transform an old nightclub into a plush dining room – with a former TV chef at the kitchen’s helm. It’s serving 1.1-kilo tomahawks, wagyu bolognaise and a 230-bottle wine list.

And from world news:

• A rescue mission is under way to find 12 climbers, after 11 others were found dead near the erupting crater of Indonesia’s Mount Marapi.
• Up to 1.8 million residents of the Gaza Strip — around 80 per cent of the population — have been forced to leave their homes since Israel began its bombardment in response to Hamas’ attack on October 7.
• The presidency of COP28 has defended its leader for saying there is “no science” that phasing out fossil fuels is needed to cap global warming, insisting a video of the remarks was released to undermine the Emirati leadership of the climate summit.

Kangaroos captain Emma Kearney said it best following her side’s grand final defeat: “If there’s one thing you should never do, it’s underestimate the Lions.”

So who stood out in the club’s 7.2 (44) to 4.3 (27) victory, and what comes next for this champion team? The biggest storyline coming out of the Lions’ camp before the opening whistle was whether Dakota Davidson would take the field.

The Lions have claimed their second AFLW flag.Credit: Getty

Not only did the key forward do so, but she stole the show and iced the two major moments that ultimately spearheaded Brisbane’s fourth-quarter charge to a second premiership.

According to Lions skipper Breanna Koenen – who finished as best on ground with a goal, 19 disposals and was a rock at the back – she is more than that, she is the key to Brisbane’s energy.

Read more.

A Queensland police officer has been served a notice to appear in court after allegedly inappropriately disclosing information.

In a statement, the QPS said the 30-year-old man, who works for the Road Policing and Regional Support Command, had been suspended.

He was scheduled to appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Tuesday on eight counts of unauthorised disclosure.

“In keeping with our commitment to high standards of behaviour, transparency and accountability, we have undertaken to inform the public when an officer or staff member faces serious allegations of misconduct,” the QPS said.

Australian Test cricket star Usman Khawaja has slammed the state government’s request for Queensland Cricket and the Brisbane Lions to contribute $91 million collectively to the upgrade of the Brisbane Showgrounds, declaring that without government support the sport “will be broke in three, four years’ time”.

The proposal was put forward as a temporary playing ground for the respective organisations while The Gabba undergoes its $2.7 billion redevelopment to prepare for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

But Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat captain Khawaja labelled the suggestion “like renting a home for $100 million, and you don’t even own the complex”, adamant the way forward needed to instead be a commitment to enhancing the Allan Border Field facilities.

He said Queensland Cricket already stood to lose $45 million throughout the Gabba’s transformation without the ability to host Big Bash and international cricket, and without support the body would struggle to stay alive.

“I can’t really speak on behalf of Queensland Cricket funding and where they get that funding, but what I have spoken to the CEO Terry Svenson is we can’t get those kind of funds anywhere,” Khawaja said.

“Even if we do, we get not enough money back to us to validate that investment. It’s about $45 million we’ll be out of pocket over the four years. To be honest, if that’s the case, then I don’t know what’s going to happen – cricket will be broke in three, four years time.

“I think we need to be really mindful and have these tough conversations because Queensland Cricket is absolutely going to struggle. People will potentially lose their jobs. There’s lots of consequences from this if we don’t get help from the government.”

Queensland schools that focus on re-engaging children in learning and keeping them out of trouble will share in $288 million over the next five years.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced the funding at the Queensland Pathways State College, one of six schools offering initiatives in supporting students to remain engaged in secondary school life.

The program will expand to a further six schools: Toowoomba and Deception Bay in 2024, and then Mt Isa, Central Queensland, Logan and Cairns.

The premier said 50 “flexi-centres” would be added to the existing 52 across Queensland high schools offering specialist training and engagement.

Some $57 million would go to intensive case management for students known to the youth justice department, and $27 million to specialised alternative learning programs to operate through non-government organisations.

“It’s about making sure our disengaged young people are getting training and getting an education,” Palaszczuk said.

“We know that this has been a missing segment of our youth justice initiatives.”

An additional 177 teaching staff and 12 court liaison officers would be required over the five-year period, Education Minister Grace Grace said.

The package has also budgeted roughly $30 million towards First Nations engagement programs.

Palaszczuk was also asked this morning whether she stood by the government’s appointment of inflammatory police union boss Ian Leavers to a new crime advisory group.

As reported by us at Brisbane Times, last week’s decision prompted criticism from a key police First Nations group and supporters with a third open letter to political and police leaders.

The letter, which describes the appointment as an “implicit endorsement” of Leavers and his recently expressed “outward racist ideology”, was also signed by a fellow member of the new group to which Leavers was appointed.

At the weekend, The Australian also reported on Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Jacqueline King describing the move as a “shocking lack of political judgement” by Palaszczuk.

Asked whether she stood by the appointment, Palaszczuk said: “Yes, I do, yeah – and it was endorsed by the cabinet”.

John Mickel, a former Beattie government minister and speaker of parliament, says the leadership speculation surrounding Annastacia Palaszczuk overlooks the fact she has no challenger.

While the premier insists she will lead Labor to the next election, and current party rules make removing her difficult, Mickel told 4BC that “sections of the media” were actively campaigning against Palaszczuk.

Mickel said if Palaszczuk’s colleagues believed it was time for change they would have used the last week of parliament to make that clear - but they didn’t, and no serving MP has publicly criticised the premier, let alone moved against her.

In an interview with Bill McDonald on Monday, Mickel suggested Palaszczuk had repeatedly risen to the challenge of governing, particularly throughout the pandemic.

“Why would they get rid of somebody who took the party from six (MPs) to an increased majority at every subsequent election?”

Another thread out of the Premier’s press conference this morning was her leadership, after a series of reports in recent days that there is ongoing talk in Labor circles about her future.

Former Labor ministers and party figures Robert Schwarten and Bob Gibbs have spoken to the Courier Mail since Friday, arguing Palaszczuk needs to be replaced for the party to remain competitive at the October 2024 state election after a series of souring polls.

Palaszczuk agreed with questions on Monday about the comments being part of a “deliberate strategy here to destabilise your leadership”.

“It could be,” she responded. “But the people who have come out in the past – I think I was in primary school when Bob Gibbs was in Parliament … these people are from many, many, years ago.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has fronted journalists in Brisbane to announce extra funding to help students disengaged from education. Over five years, the $288 million will expand programs she described as a “missing segment of our youth justice initiatives”.

But questions were dominated by the weekend fallout from the announcement of plans to upgrade the RNA Showground.

Palaszczuk said Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s response was “very disappointing” after he himself had backed the Gabba-rebuild option.

Here’s some more of what she had to say:

Look, I’m happy to have a meeting with the Lord Mayor and talk to him about these issues. Let me say very clearly that we have to work on things in a partnership, otherwise, we’re not going to get good outcomes that Queenslanders expect.

Look, there’s council elections coming up, and people will say things and do things [that] they perceive to be in their best interests coming up to an election.