Stewards on the Couch: Steve Gollschewski APM - Commissioner, Queensland Police Service
Date: Tuesday 25 February 2025
Time: 4.15pm for a 4:30pm start with networking refreshments after
Location: Brisbane, Australia and Livestreamed
Comtrac are proud to partner with the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Queensland to bring you the latest in the Stewards on the Couch series featuring Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski APM. The Commissioner will take to the couch to have a conversation about senior leadership, public service, his vision for a modern police force in Queensland, and the challenges of public leadership.
During this conversation, attendees can expect to hear more about the esteemed career of one of the state’s most trusted senior public leaders. This event will share insights and perspectives from Commissioner Gollschewski APM across his more than four decades in public sector service and leadership, where he has played instrumental roles in the response to some of Queensland’s most devastating disasters.
This event is a must attend for anyone keen to understand the career journey of one of Queensland’s top public leaders and connect with others in the sector.
Stewards on the Couch follows a casual, ‘in conversation’ style format where the interviewer, and the interviewee take to the couch to conduct an informative, engaging and interactive discussion.
The audience are invited to participate in a short Q&A opportunity after approximately one hour of conversation. After event content has been conducted, there is a short but engaging networking session afterwards over refreshments.
Comtrac are proud to partner with IPAA Queensland to help advance the professionalism, capability and integrity of public administration and public purpose work and promotes pride in service.
If you’re a public servant or engaged in public purpose work, we encourage you to get to know and connect with IPAA Queensland. Find out more about us by reading more on our site or through joining as a member visit https://qld.ipaa.org.au/
About Steve Gollschewski
The 21st Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service (QPS), Steve Gollschewski APM has more than 44 years of experience in policing, disaster management, governance and reform and was successfully appointed on 22 April 2024.
Before being appointed Commissioner, Steve was selected by the Premier of Queensland to be the Special Coordinator for Police and Emergency Services Reform in December 2022, following the Commission of Inquiry into Police Responses to Domestic and Family Violence.
As Special Coordinator, Steve provided oversight of the QPS reforms including those arising from the Women’s Safety Justice Taskforce, the Commission of Inquiry into Police Responses to Domestic and Family Violence, the Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA, as well as a number of associated inquiries, inquests and reviews along with in-flight QPS reforms. The Special Coordinator also provided oversight of the Disaster and Emergency Management Reform which delivered significant transformational activities and Machinery of Government changes for QPS, emergency services and relevant agencies.
In his previous role as the former State Disaster Coordinator for Queensland, Steve was the Commander for the operational response to the global COVID-19 pandemic in support of public health authorities. He has extensive experience in disaster management and has been responsible for coordinating the Queensland Government response to weather related emergencies including the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley floods in 2011, flood evacuation of St George in 2012 and Cyclone Oswald in Bundaberg in early 2013. He also coordinated the overall disaster responses to Cyclones Ita, Marcia, Nathan and Debbie along with the state-wide fire responses in 2019 and the severe flooding in southern Queensland during early 2022.
In 2018, Steve led the largest security operation in Australia for the decade as Commander of Operational Sentinel at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He has also managed the initial QPS planning and preparation for the security of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is a graduate of the AFP Management of Serious Crime Program, the Leadership in Counter- Terrorism (LinCT) program, ANZSOG, and is a graduate – and program visiting fellow – of the Australian Institute of Police Management. He has completed post graduate studies in Leadership through Charles Sturt and Harvard universities.
