Opinion: Latest Qld police review could be more diverse

With yet another review to be held into the Queensland Police Service, the public needs to know what the parameters will be, writes Terry Goldsworthy.

Former detective and Bond University associate professor Dr Terry Goldsworthy

So yet another review is to be conducted into the Queensland Police Service. No official ministerial announcement had been made prior to this news breaking last week.

It begs the question; when will the terms of reference for the review be publicly released? What exactly is the catalyst for the review and what will its ambit be?

What we do know is the make-up of the review panel. It consists of three ex-QPS members, former deputy commissioners Ross Barnett and Brett Pointing and former detective superintendent Mark Ainsworth. All three have extensive law enforcement experience.

One does wonder if perhaps the review panel could have been more diverse than three ex-QPS members. It would have seemed logical to get more varied and broad input from at least one panel member with no internal QPS experience to formulate improvements that would benefit the QPS. As American author and politician Thomas W. Higginson stated, when looking at issues “originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes”.

The 2022 independent commission of inquiry into QPS responses to domestic and family violence found clear evidence of a culture where attitudes of misogyny, sexism and racism were allowed. Given these critical findings would it not have been sensible to make sure that you had at least one suitably qualified female member on the panel?

Former police minister Katarina Carroll

A more balanced and robust panel could have provided reassurance that the findings of the 2024 Queensland Human Rights Commission report, which identified ongoing systemic discrimination against women due to outdated processes and attitudes, will be addressed.

Having the terms of reference of the review publicly available would provide some insight into how the panel had been selected, and what skill sets were seen as necessary to successfully address the purpose of the review.

For the rank-and-file members of the QPS this will be yet another review of the police. In 2023 the Queensland Audit Office noted “that recent reviews and inquiries have led to many reform activities and the need to implement subsequent recommendations”.

In July 2013 the QPS underwent a major restructure process under the tutelage of then commissioner, Ian Stewart. Current Commissioner Steve Gollschewski was one of the architects of the restructure. By 2019 an external review showed that the restructure had failed on almost every performance criterion. This resulted in the Service Alignment Program with 22 recommendations from the review to try and fix the service.

Fast forward to 2021 and the problematic Service Delivery Redesign Project was rolled out. This was meant to introduce a new streamlined system to enhance the way frontline officers serve and protect their communities.

Within months the flawed rollout was facing threats of legal action by the Queensland Police Union and complaints from officers and was stopped. The program was finally put out of its misery by then commissioner Katarina Carroll in 2023 after an external review by Ernst and Young.

Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski

In 2023 a report by the Queensland Audit Office looking at the deployment of QPS resources found that there has been an increase and change in demand for its services. The report found that QPS has taken a short-term focus in addressing these issues and that it was not meeting current demand for its services.

Crucially the report identified a lack of strategic workforce planning and failure to adopt a holistic view of current and future demands. The report also highlighted a lack of evaluation of workforce needs and capabilities needed to improve its ability to meet ongoing demand. As a result, the QPS was limited in its ability to make informed and proactive decisions about prioritising and allocating resources.

Queensland is in the grip of a crime crisis and an effective and efficient police service is crucial in addressing this. In 2024 Queensland recorded some 621,729 offences, the highest number in 24 years. The crime rate, which remained stable in 2024, is still at historic highs. Excluding last year, you have to go back to 2003 to find a higher crime rate.

Transparency increases credibility and accountability. With the newly installed LNP government fast approaching its self-imposed deadline for action within the first 100 days, the public needs to know what the parameters of this review are. This will help ensure that this review is not seen as just another bureaucratic think tank with little practical impact, but rather a worthwhile exercise in improving conditions for our police and their ability to fight crime.

Former detective Terry Goldsworthy is an associate professor at Bond University

Originally published as Opinion: Latest Qld police review could be more diverse