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Paul Green fondly remembered by Cronulla and Queensland teammate Mat Rogers

An archive photo of Paul Green passing the ball for Cronulla during a match in 1996.

A shocked Mat Rogers says his former rugby league teammate, Paul Green, will be remembered as an “incredible competitor” who never took a backward step.

The rugby league world is in mourning following the sudden death of 49-year-old Green, who represented Queensland in State of Origin and was a premiership-winning coach.

Rogers spent the past weekend in Sydney with Green at a Cronulla players reunion, with the pair having been teammates at the Sharks for three seasons since 1995.

They were roommates in the Queensland Super League representative team in 1997, before spending two years together in the Maroons State of Origin side.

Paul Green in Origin jersey raising his hand.
Paul Green represented Queensland in State of Origin.(Getty Images: Darren England)

Green later enjoyed a successful coaching career, guiding North Queensland to its first NRL premiership in 2015.

Rogers said he and Green played golf and then sat next to each other to watch the Sharks beat St George Illawarra on Saturday night.

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“It was great — we played golf on Friday together and spent time at the reunion together,” Rogers said.

“He was telling me about the new boat he’d just bought for the family and I was looking forward to going for a ride.

“I can’t believe he’s gone… it makes me appreciate that time I got to spend with him.”

Rogers said half-back Green — who stood at just 167 centimeters tall — played well above his diminutive size.

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Australia

Homicide detectives probe potential domestic violence link in fatal Ayr house fire

Firefighters stand stand to a burnt-out home

Detectives have launched a homicide investigation after a suspicious house fire in north Queensland claimed a woman’s life.

Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson said detectives believed the fire was deliberately lit.

The 47-year-old woman suffered severe burns and died in hospital after the blaze in the rural town of Ayr on Tuesday morning.

The woman’s partner, a 65-year-old man, remains in a serious condition in the Royal Brisbane Hospital and police have been unable to speak with him.

Police attended the home for a welfare check just hours before the blaze broke out and spoke to the couple.

A police officer and fire fighter stand outside a burnt-out home surrounded by police tape
The burnt-out home was declared a crime scene.(ABC North Qld: Baz Ruddick)

Acting Chief Superintendent Lawson said that interaction was now the subject of an internal police review.

“We don’t want to rule anything out at this stage and we don’t want to speculate — until we actually speak with this male [it] it is difficult for us to establish exactly what the reasoning behind the whole incident was,” he said.

“The man and woman were in a domestic relationship and there was a current domestic violence protection order protecting the 47-year-old female.

“We’re working closely with the staff at the hospital to ensure that as soon as [the man] is able to, he will be speaking with the police.”

Acting Chief Superintendent Lawson said the domestic violence order had been in place since 2018 and did not prohibit the couple from living together.

He said they had lived at the property in Ayr for about a year before the fire and were known to police.

A police officer in uniform stands in front of police signage
Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson in Townsville.(ABC North Qld: Lily Nothling)

He said officers had been called to the property before the fire.

“We received a call for a request for service and we attended the scene,” he said.

“At that stage, police received assistance from the Queensland Ambulance Service to conduct investigations into the matter that was before them, and as a result of that they left both parties at the address.

“It’s not a great result and that’s why we have the Ethical Standards Command and the CCC [Crime and Corruption Commission] overviewing the investigation into that initial interaction with the couple.”

Police have been doorknocking residents in Ayr and have urged anyone with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them.

“The Queensland Police Service has launched a homicide investigation, codenamed Operation Uniform Turmeric, in relation to this investigation,” Acting Chief Superintendent Lawson said.

“Our investigators will be looking to glean as much information from the community around the couple and what their interactions were with them.”

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Categories
Australia

Queensland Police reveal victims organized to meet with alleged gunman before mass shooting killed three people in Bogie

Qld farm massacre: Man, 59, charged with gunning down three people, attempted murder of fourth man

Queensland Police have revealed new details about the shooting in a rural town that left three members of the same family dead and another critically injured.

Married couple Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, 71 and 59, and their son Graham Tinge, 35, were gunned down at their cattle farm property in Bogie, about 35 minutes from Bowen in the state’s north on Thursday morning.

Their other son, Ross, was shot in the abdomen and bleeding heavily but managed to flee the scene in a ute where he alerted police about the shooting.

Mackay Detective Inspector Tom Armitt revealed in press conference on Friday that the alleged offender and the victims had organized to meet the night before the shooting.

“What we do know is that all parties are neighbours, some conversation has occurred between the parties and resulted in a meeting up at the parties’ boundary line earlier that morning when the incident occurred,” he said.

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“We understand that there was a conversation the night before that was the reason they met the next morning.

“What I can say is that there was an invitation for them to go there and discuss.”

Police said the distance from the properties is a long 45-minute drive and is a three kilometer drive from the gate to the front of the house.

Ross underwent surgery at MacKay Base Hospital on Thursday night and has been well enough to speak with police.

A 59-year-old male neighbor of the Schwarz’s is being held in custody with charges expected to be laid late on Friday afternoon.

“He will be remaining in our custody and we expect to lay criminal charges in relation to the matter some time later on this afternoon,” Superintendent Armitt said.

He also revealed the Schwarzs’ had purchased the property “some time” in the last 12 months while the 59-year-old was a long-term resident of the area.

Police took five people who were on the property at the time of the incident into custody overnight with all but the alleged shooter released.

Emergency services received a call around 9am on Thursday by the lone survivor who had driven about 40 kilometers away from the crime scene.

Superintendent Tom Armitt said there was confusion about where the shooting had occurred with the call coming from a far distance away but praised the officers who placed themselves in danger during the response.

“At that particular time we had a report that three persons had been shot. I believed that they had been killed but we needed confirmation on that,” he said.

“At that particular time whilst we had made requests of our CERT team to come and make clearances and armed clearances at those properties we needed to push forward with police to determine the safety of the people on the ground.

“We had a small team of police who drove forward into the crime scene at that time not knowing if the armed offender was present putting their lives at grave danger especially when the report was that people had been shot with a rifle.

“They were in danger of being shot at any distance whilst approaching the crime scene so that was slow and meticulous work and extremely brave from the officers who were involved at that time.”

Police are yet to determine a motive for the incident with investigations into the incident ongoing.

Anyone in the area with information who has knowledge, information of any issues in the area, or spoke with either family, should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Categories
Australia

Pea soup fog again covers Brisbane and spreads along coast into north Queensland

Pea soup fog again covers Brisbane and spreads along coast into north Queensland

Greater Brisbane has been blanketed in thick fog for the second time this week, prompting the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to issue an alert for dangerous road conditions.

But today the pea soup is more widespread, with patches of fog impacting cities along the Queensland coast all the way north to Townsville.

BOM forecaster Matthew Bass said the fog was a “similar event” to what Brisbane experienced on Tuesday, but heavier today in outer suburbs.

“Maybe a little bit more extensive through southern parts of Brisbane, down towards the Logan area,” he said.

Map of Queensland showing locations where fog is present
Patches of fog can be seen all the way to Townsville.(Supplied: BOM)

“Out west [of Brisbane] it is maybe a little bit more extensive but relatively similar to what we saw a couple of days ago.”

Mr Bass said visibility was down to 100 meters in parts of south-east Queensland, and down to 2,000 meters at the Brisbane Airport at 6am.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane ferry and CityCats were running a “little slower” due to the fog.

The Captain Cook Bridge on the Pacific Motorway lost in fog
The Captain Cook Bridge on the Pacific Motorway lost in the haze.(ABC New: Curtis Rodda)

“Everyone does need to pay attention on the road, take it that little bit slower and a little bit more careful in the reduced visibility,” he said.

“Definitely quite low visibility in the city as well.”

Brisbane CBD lost in fog from the William Jolly Bridge
The hazy view from Brisbane’s William Jolly Bridge at 5am. (ABC News: Matt Eaton)

Mr Bass said the fog was likely to hang around for a few hours until after sunrise.

With visibility so low, police also asked commuters to drive with caution.

Mr Bass warned the fog could also cause disruptions to flights in and out of Brisbane airport.

Victoria Bridge hidden in fog from South Bank
Victoria Bridge hidden in fog from South Bank on Thursday morning.(ABC News: Matt Eaton)

“There’s a reasonable chance that the fog will make it to the airport and cause flight disruptions,” he said.

BOM forecaster Steven Hadley told ABC Radio Brisbane the fog was likely to clear before 9am in most places.

“The main Brisbane airport is just starting to clear up there, but Archerfield Airport is pretty fogged in,” he said.

The city view lost in fog from Highgate Hill in Brisbane
The city view lost in fog from Highgate Hill in Brisbane. (ABC News: Curtis Rodda)

“It is quite a thick fog across some of the western, southern suburbs and inland as well, so expect it to probably lurk a bit longer through that part of the world.”

Mr Hadley said once the fog cleared it would be a nice day in the Brisbane area.

The pedestrian and cycle bridge at Indooroopilly in fog shroud
The pedestrian and cycle bridge at Indooroopilly was shrouded in fog on Thursday morning. (Supplied: Peter Doherty)
The fog-shrouded view across the Brisbane River from South Bank
The view across the Brisbane River from the South Bank on Thursday morning.(ABC NewsBrian Hurst)

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