Brisbane news live: Swing against Dutton redraws battleground map | Powerhouse picks Brisbane Festival boss as new chief | Rain on Anzac Day likely in Brisbane

A southside war memorial has had its plaques stolen less than a day before thousands of locals are set to join Anzac Day marches.

Stephens RSL senior vice president Andrew Clifford said he first learned about the damage to the heritage-listed park when calling the Brisbane City Council to finalise road closures for the march.

Temporary signage replaces the missing signs at the gates of Yeronga Memorial Park.Credit: Andrew Clifford

“A BCC officer contacted me and asked whether we were planning to do anything with the plaques,” he said. “It [is] a tragedy that someone has carried out that wanton destruction.”

Clifford praised the council for their quick response – with temporary signage already in place – but said it would be disappointing for those arriving for the 7am Anzac Day marches tomorrow.

“We form up out the front of those gates [before marching],” he said.

Clifford added 2000 to 3000 were expected to attend the march, and it would likely take “a couple of months” before the council could erect new signs.

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of the news on this rainy Thursday. We’ll be back with more live local news updates after the Anzac Day weekend – so please join us again on Monday.

If you’re just catching up, here are some of the stories that made headlines today.

Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann wants prosecutors to hand over CCTV and witness statements ahead of his rape trial after his solicitor claimed “important” evidence had been withheld.

An elderly man who attempted to deface an Anthony Albanese corflute at a polling booth in the PM’s Sydney electorate has been seriously injured in an alleged assault by a 17-year-old boy.

Meanwhile, Albanese has defended the Labor candidate running against Peter Dutton as an “extraordinary Australian” after it emerged she tweeted faked images of the opposition leader wearing a Nazi uniform.

Delivery driver Ricardo Prada Vasquez was heading to a customer’s address in Detroit when he found himself on a bridge that leads to Canada. What happened next upended his life.

In sport, Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader has declared his intent to make Isaiya Katoa a one-club player, as the side sets about avenging a horror start to the 2025 season.

And finally, discover what might be Brisbane’s best hangover cure: a take on the trendy croque madame that come with lashings of Bangalow Sweet Pork ham and a to-die-for bechamel sauce.

A southside war memorial has had its plaques stolen less than a day before thousands of locals are set to join Anzac Day marches.

Stephens RSL senior vice president Andrew Clifford said he first learned about the damage to the heritage-listed park when calling the Brisbane City Council to finalise road closures for the march.

Temporary signage replaces the missing signs at the gates of Yeronga Memorial Park.Credit: Andrew Clifford

“A BCC officer contacted me and asked whether we were planning to do anything with the plaques,” he said. “It [is] a tragedy that someone has carried out that wanton destruction.”

Clifford praised the council for their quick response – with temporary signage already in place – but said it would be disappointing for those arriving for the 7am Anzac Day marches tomorrow.

“We form up out the front of those gates [before marching],” he said.

Clifford added 2000 to 3000 were expected to attend the march, and it would likely take “a couple of months” before the council could erect new signs.

The Queensland government has appointed a commissioner and issued the first tasks to its much-anticipated productivity commission.

The state passed a bill reinstating the commission in March this year, which it has positioned as a key part of its plan to fix issues in Queensland’s construction industry.

The government today appointed Angela Moody – a senior executive with experience in financial and regulatory policy in gas, water, and electricity industries – as its productivity commissioner.

Treasurer David Janetzki also revealed the commission will begin its first task, reviewing the industry as it stands.

“This important work by the productivity commission will drive up productivity and drive down cost pressures,” he said.

Anzac Day is fast approaching, and if you’re thinking of travelling through the city tomorrow, be aware that some roads will be closed for most of the day.

Brisbane’s main Dawn Service is at Anzac Square, and will be followed by a morning parade of veterans and their descendants.

Queensland Police has released this full list of city roads that will be shut.

• Ann Street, full closure between 3am to 8am
• Adelaide Street, full closure between George Street and Wharf Street from 3am to 3pm
• Albert Street, full closure between Adelaide Street and Burnett Lane from 3am to 3pm
• Burnett Lane, full closure between George Street and Albert Street from 3am to 3pm
• Charlotte Street, full closure between George Street and Elizabeth Arcade from 3am to 3pm
• Creek Street, full closure between Ann Street and Elizabeth Street from 3am to 3pm
• Eagle Lane, full closure between Queen Street and Creek Street from 3am to 3pm
• Edison Lane, full closure between Creek Street and End of Road from 3am to 3pm
• Edward Street, full closure between Ann Street and Charlotte Street from 3am to 3pm
• Elizabeth Street, full closure between William Street and Creek Street from 3am to 3pm
• Ely Lane, full closure between Adelaide Street and Giffin Lane from 3am to 3pm
• Faber Lane, full closure between Adelaide Street and Giffin Lane from 3am to 3pm
• George Street, full closure between Margaret Street and Ann Street 3am to 3pm
• Hutton Lane, full closure between Ann Street and Adelaide Street from 3am to 3pm
• Mary Street, full closure between George Street and Albert Street from 3am to 3pm
• North Quay, full closure between Victoria Bridge and Ann Street from 3am to 3pm
• Queen Street, full closure between George Street and Wharf Street between 3am to 3pm
• Stephens Lane, full closure between William Street and George Street between 3am to 3pm
• William Street, full closure between Elizabeth Street and Stephens Lane between 3am to 3pm
• Riverside Expressway, full closure of Elizabeth Street southbound off ramp between 2am to 3pm
• Riverside Expressway, full closure of Elizabeth Street northbound off ramp between 2am to 3pm

Public transport will run to different timetables, with full details on the Translink website.

For more details of the Anzac commemorations, along with other ideas of how to spend the public holiday, read this list from our reporter Nick Dent.

Albanese has failed to condemn a Labor candidate for posting fake, altered memes of Dutton as a Nazi or anti-Israel memes.

First reported on News.com.au, Labor candidate for Dutton’s seat of Dickson Ali France also described Coalition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie as “creepy” and Dutton as a “monster”.

Asked about these posts, Albanese immediately defended France.

“Ali France is an extraordinary Australian and I don’t know what, your tweets are like more than a decade ago … people are going and attacking Ali France as they did during the last campaign,” he said.

“Ali France as a person today is ... an outstanding human being. She’s someone who has overcome extraordinary adversity during this time.”

An unidentified body was found in the Brisbane River this week.

The male was spotted by a member of the public near Kangaroo Point about 8.45am on Tuesday.

Water Police retrieved the body from the city side of the river a short time later.

Investigations are ongoing and officers are yet to conduct a postmortem.

This masthead understands initial inquiries did not find evidence the death was suspicious.

Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann wants prosecutors to hand over CCTV and witness statements ahead of his rape trial after his solicitor claimed “important” evidence had been withheld.

Lehrmann is accused of raping a woman twice during the morning of October 10, 2021 after they met at a strip club the previous night in Toowoomba.

The case was mentioned in Toowoomba District Court this morning.

Bruce Lehrmann in June last year.Credit: Dan Peled

Lehrmann’s solicitor Zali Burrows told Judge Dennis Lynch she would apply for a complete consolidated brief of evidence.

Read the full story.

Louise Bezzina has been announced as the new CEO and artistic director of the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Bezzina will begin her appointment in October after delivering her sixth Brisbane Festival in September.

Brisbane Festival artistic director Louise Bezzina has been named the new head of the Brisbane Powerhouse.Credit: Jane Ferguson

She takes over from Kate Gould, who has headed the Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm for four years.

Bezzina founded the Gold Coast Bleach Festival, was a co-creative lead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Cultural Program, and has been Brisbane Festival’s artistic director since 2019.

“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital and precincts like Brisbane Powerhouse have helped shape our incredible city and I am so honoured to be chosen as the next guardian of its future,” Bezzina said.

Brisbane Powerhouse hosts more than 1500 performances each year and welcomes more than 1 million visitors.

The program for Bezzina’s final Brisbane Festival will be announced on June 11.

Those who heard a rumble in the skies over Brisbane yesterday would be forgiven for asking, “What was that?”

It was a single EA-18G growler from 6th squadron located at the RAAF base at Amberley that flew over the city as part of an Anzac Day ceremony at Anzac Square in the CBD.

Another flyover is planned for Anzac Day tomorrow, pending the weather. Two EA-18 Growlers are due to flyover Brisbane from 7.25am, passing over local Anzac Day services at suburban RSL branches from Gaythorne to Calamvale.

Rain is likely to hit Brisbane during dawn services on Anzac Day.

Up to 30 millimetres is predicted for Friday, with a significant amount likely to arrive in the early morning.

“There may be some isolated thunderstorms through south-east parts of Queensland,” senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology Dean Narramore said.

Members of the catafalque party stand guard at the cenotaph during an Anzac Day dawn ceremony on April 25, 2023 in Brisbane.Credit: Dan Peled

“That’ll be impacting dawn services there.”

A top of 26 degrees is predicted.

Find details of local Anzac Day services here.