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Queensland police signed off on a controversial multimillion-dollar lease deal for a site in Brisbane’s south without proper approvals and then failed to disclose it to state auditors.
New detail about the 15-year, $116 million Stones Corner station deal, which came to light in 2024, is in the Queensland Audit Office’s annual report on state entities.
At the time, then-premier Steven Miles urged transparency and then-police commissioner Steve Gollschewski ordered an external audit – ultimately sending the matter to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Last year, Police Minister Dan Purdie described the agreement as “potentially the worst deal in history” and expressed hope that someone would be held to account.
But given the external probe by KordaMenta and the latter – ongoing – corruption watchdog referral, little detail had been released by either of the past two governments, or police.
In a section of its annual report, the audit office said police “became legally bound” to the arrangement in October 2023 “without obtaining the approvals required” under state policies.
“Payments commenced in August 2024 and [the Queensland Police Service] commenced including the arrangement in its 2024-25 financial statements,” the audit office said.
“QPS did not disclose this lease arrangement to us during our 2023-24 audit.”
The audit office said that while the total value of the arrangement as of last June was $116.3 million, “the total commitment is larger … because they are discounted to represent today’s value”.
Previous reporting noted the agreement also contained an option to extend the 15-year lease by a further eight years for $240 million.
“By not obtaining the necessary approvals, QPS did not meet the requirements for keeping financial records that correctly record and explain its transactions and account balances to enable the preparation of a true and fair financial report,” the audit office said.
“In response, QPS has committed to improve its policies and procedures for procurement and leasing.”
A letter from Acting Commissioner Brett Pointing is included in the audit office’s report, with Pointing writing that the agency is “committed to the continual improvement of the important matters raised”.
Purdie and Miles have been contacted for comment.
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