Brisbane news live: Family seeks answers after mother stabbed, burnt

2 hours ago 2

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Family seeks answers after mother stabbed, burnt

By Rex Martinich

The family of a mother stabbed and set alight by her estranged husband are seeking answers after evidence emerged of police dismissing her domestic violence complaints.

Kelly Wilkinson was accused of “cop shopping” by Queensland police who did not act on her complaints days before her badly burnt body was found outside her Gold Coast home, a pre-inquest conference was told.

Brian Earl Johnston, who repeatedly stabbed the 27-year-old mother-of-three, doused her with petrol and set her on fire at her Arundel home on April 20, 2021, had been subject to a domestic violence order and was on bail accused of sexually assaulting Wilkinson.

Kelly Wilkinson with accused killer Brian Johnston.

Wilkinson’s family said they wanted to learn details so far kept hidden about the police review into the handling of her domestic violence case at a coming inquest into her death.

“We are very interested to see what’s in it,” Wilkinson’s sister Danielle Carroll said outside Southport Coroners Court after the pre-inquest conference yesterday. “There’s a lot we have not been exposed to yet. There is still a lot for our family to process and go through.”

Queensland Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher on Monday heard Wilkinson told a domestic violence prevention centre she was fearful of Johnston because he had military training and had threatened to kill her many times. Counsel assisting Bernhard Berger told the pre-inquest conference police had not acted when Wilkinson complained nine days before her death about Johnston allegedly breaching a domestic violence protection order by contacting her.

AAP

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline at 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue at 1300 224 636.

7.29am

Stadiums for ‘passion and pride, not hate’: Miles

By Brittney Deguara

Steven Miles has responded to news we covered yesterday – Man charged over Nazi salute at the Gabba – describing the actions as “vile” and “hateful”.

The opposition leader wrote on Instagram: “Our stadiums are for passion and pride, not hate.”

“A Nazi salute has no place in Queensland. Ever. It’s vile, it’s hateful, and it won’t be tolerated.”

In case you missed it, yesterday it was reported that a spectator who allegedly made a Nazi salute at Saturday’s AFL final between the Brisbane Lions and the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba has been charged.

The incident took place during pre-game ceremonial formalities, which included the Australian national anthem and a Welcome to Country, with the man swiftly taken from the venue.

Miles went on to thank the fans who called out the action, the Gabba for banning the alleged culprit and police for “stepping in”.

7.15am

Family seeks answers after mother stabbed, burnt

By Rex Martinich

The family of a mother stabbed and set alight by her estranged husband are seeking answers after evidence emerged of police dismissing her domestic violence complaints.

Wilkinson’s family said they wanted to learn details so far kept hidden about the police review into the handling of her domestic violence case at a coming inquest into her death.

AAP

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline at 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue at 1300 224 636.

6.59am

Warm week ahead

You would be forgiven for thinking summer has already arrived in Brisbane, with temperatures predicted to climb to 30 degrees this week – less than a month into spring.

The first 30-degree day of the season is forecast to arrive tomorrow – nearly 6 degrees above the long-term September average – with maximum temperatures expected to hover above 28 degrees until Sunday.

But a weather bureau forecaster says it’s still too early to pack away the cardigans, for the unseasonably warm spike won’t last.

As for today, expect a mostly sunny day with a pleasant top of 26 degrees.

Here’s the seven-day outlook:

6.52am

While you were sleeping

Here’s what’s making news further afield this morning:

A landmark climate report predicts that if Australia hits 3 degrees of warming above pre-industrial temperatures, heat-related deaths in places such as Townsville will increase by 335 per cent.

A senior member of Sussan Ley’s shadow cabinet has warned he could quit the frontbench if the Coalition does not abandon its support for net zero, in a fresh test of the opposition leader’s authority just days after she sacked senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.

Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie and leader Sussan Ley.

A former taxation office employee has been sentenced to prison after fraudulently claiming up to $60,000 in COVID-19 test isolation payments and income tax refunds.

The Trump administration is preparing a major crackdown against non-government organisations, left-wing activists and what it calls “terrorist networks” advocating violence against conservatives in the wake of the assassination of key Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk.

6.37am

The top stories this morning

Good morning and welcome to Brisbane Times’ live news blog. Today we can expect a mostly sunny day and a maximum of 26 degrees.

In this morning’s local headlines:

A Gold Coast father-and-son duo charged over the death of a 43-year-old man who ended his life with a veterinary drug have been accused of running a backyard euthanasia operation that might be linked to about 20 suicides across Australia.

Queensland’s outgoing human rights chief has described the state’s approach to First Nations people as “hostile” and called for climate policy to be taken from the “fallible hands of our politicians”.

A spectator who allegedly made a Nazi salute at Saturday’s AFL final between the Brisbane Lions and the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba has been charged.

For an hour of the Brisbane Broncos’ jaw-dropping triumph in Canberra, it appeared as though Kotoni Staggs was going to leave the field as one of the few players from his side who could hold his head up high. After the NRL season, he is yet to commit to the Kangaroos.

And the NRL will schedule the Broncos’ preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium on a Sunday afternoon, with the commission opting for daytime semi-final football.