Ex top Gold Coast cop Michelle Stenner promoted to Assistant Commissioner position temporarily

A former Gold Coast top cop cleared of lying to the state’s corruption watchdog has been appointed to one of the highest ranks temporarily. Read what happened.

A former Gold Coast top cop cleared of lying to the state’s corruption watchdog at trial has been promoted to one of the police service’s highest ranks temporarily.

Michelle Stenner was promoted to the rank of Acting Assistant Commissioner, shows an internal photo obtained by the Bulletin.

The position would typically be widely publicised by the Queensland Police Service (QPS), but according to sources the promotion was still widely unknown among the rank and file.

Michelle Stenner appointed Acting Assistant Commissioner temporarily by new Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski. Picture: Supplied.

It’s understood the new appointment was rubber-stamped by Commissioner Steve Gollschewski, following the sudden departure of former Assistant Commissioner Mark Wheeler. Mr Wheeler was demoted and had his rank downgraded to Chief Superintendent in mysterious circumstances last year.

A source said: “After Mark Wheeler, there was a shuffling of the deck chairs, and the Commissioner signed off on her promotion.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Stenner’s fresh promotion comes after the 51-year-old was caught up in an alleged nepotism investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) in 2017 for which she was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Previously she had remained in a superintendent role in Brisbane but was low key in terms public and media appearances.

The Bulletin asked the QPS when Ms Stenner was appointed to the role as Assistant Commissioner, what area of the organisation she has responsibility for, and whether the [promotion was signed-off by the Commissioner.

In a statement a spokesman said Ms Stenner had been acting in the Assistant Commissioner role for Security and Counter Terrorism Command during a relief period. She has since been returned to her role as Superintendent within the same unit.

The Gold Coast Bulletin on the day Michelle Stenner was charged.

Article by reporter Paul Weston printed on Friday, 8th September 2017.

In September of 2017, who was then Acting as Gold Coast Chief Superintendent, was charged with perjury.

The CCC had previously accused her in court of lying under oath when she was questioned in a hearing as part of the investigation. She strongly denied the allegations and was found not guilty.

As the case progressed through the court she was stood down from her job on full pay.

In May 2021, Ms Stenner stood trial on the three counts of perjury where hours of recorded phone calls by the CCC were played across days of hearings held in Brisbane District Court.

Michelle Stenner pictured leaving Brisbane District Court in 2021 following her acquittal of three perjury charges. Picture: Josh Woning

On the final day of the trial, a bombshell revelation came to light that during deliberations by the jury, one of the members had used their phone to research definitions of law.

A furious Judge David Reid slammed the conduct, addressing the jury and telling them “to have a good, hard look at yourself” before abandoning the trial.

Later that same year Ms Stenner faced a fresh trial where, after five days of hearings, she was acquitted on all three counts of perjury. The presiding judge, David Kent QC, told the jury that there was no evidence to support any element of the case against Ms Stenner.

“I have concluded that there is no evidence upon which you could find, beyond reasonable doubt, that the relevant statements were material,” Judge Kent said at the time.
“That means that that element can’t be proven which means that none of the three counts can be proven.”

He directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on the three charges and Ms Stenner was discharged.