Kate McKenna
Kate McKenna is a state political reporter for ABC News Queensland. She started her career at the Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail before joining the ABC in late 2018. She is a co-winner of two Queensland Clarion awards.
Latest by Kate McKenna
Number of serious repeat youth offenders rose between 2018 and 2023, Queensland audit finds
By state political reporter Kate McKenna
Some serious repeat youth offenders are not given plans to transition from detention back into the community, a Queensland audit finds.
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Queensland energy minister claims he was given 'incorrect' advice after power plant explosion
By state political reporter Kate McKenna
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni claims he was misinformed by management at CS Energy, prompting him to deliver wrong information to parliament the day after a power station explosion in May 2021.
Damning report into catastrophic power station explosion finds operator failed to implement 'effective safety practices'
By Janelle Miles and state political reporter Kate McKenna
The explosion at the Callide C power station led to almost half a million Queensland customers losing power, becoming the state's worst power outage in decades.
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Baby's death during freebirth referred to coroner, sparking concern among health officials
By Janelle Miles and Kate McKenna
Two doulas are believed to have been present during the freebirth near Toowoomba on Wednesday.
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Queensland Parole Board president resigns after seven years in job
Exclusive by state politcal reporter Kate McKenna
Michael Byrne's resignation comes just days after the government rushed urgent law changes through parliament to fix an administrative bungle first reported by the ABC.
Government passes 'urgent amendments' after parole board bungle
By state political reporter Kate McKenna
The Queensland government has rushed law changes through parliament to fix an administrative bungle involving the state's parole board, which could have seen some decisions "invalidated".
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Queensland budget spend offers cost-of-living relief and red ink on the bottom line
By state political reporter Kate McKenna and Jack McKay
Queensland's treasurer has handed down a big-spending pre-election budget, offering up $3.7 billion in new cost-of-living relief – unapologetically plunging the state into deficit.
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Calls for Queensland government to 'come clean' about parole board after administrative error
By state political reporter Kate McKenna and Laura Lavelle
Some people sitting on the Queensland Parole Board were not properly appointed, bringing into question some of their decisions, the ABC understands.
Updated
Queensland minister referred to ethics committee over 'potentially misleading' social media video
By Kate McKenna
Shannon Fentiman has been referred to Queensland's parliamentary ethics committee over a social media video an LNP MP claimed "unleashed a wave of cyberbullying".
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Analysis
analysis:Has Queensland LNP leader's small-target election strategy become a big distraction?
By state political reporter Kate McKenna and Jack McKay
Days out from the Queensland government's state budget, the opposition leader has pledged to honour funding commitments if he wins office.
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Queensland calls on federal government to cut back overseas migration
Premier Steven Miles says the state's population is growing faster than homes can be built and that a reduction in international migrants could help to ease the pressure.
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Queensland passes legislation to enshrine greenhouse emissions targets in law
By state political reporter Kate McKenna and Alex Brewster
A target for Queensland to reach net zero by 2050 has passed with bipartisan support.
'It will not go ahead': Company withdraws bid to develop protected wetlands after environment minister's interim refusal
By Jessica Black and state political reporter Kate McKenna
Earlier this month Tanya Plibersek released an interim decision that found removing 58.7 hectares from the internationally protected wetland was an "unacceptable impact".
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Queensland's youth crime committee dissolves seven months after establishment
By state political reporters Rachel Riga and Kate McKenna
In an extraordinary move, a parliamentary committee examining youth justice issues has been dissolved after it failed to agree on an interim report.
Independent Games authority a step closer as Senate inquiry drills down into planning disputes
By state political reporter Kate McKenna and Jemima Burt
John Coates and Graham Quirk have given evidence at a Senate inquiry into Brisbane 2032, as a bill is tabled to set up an independent delivery authority to operate at arm's length from the government.
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Bondi Junction attacker's interactions with Queensland Police 'forensically' examined amid debate over stop-and-search laws
By Jessica Black and Kate McKenna
Queensland Police says it is confident the response to previous interactions with the Bondi Junction attacker were "appropriate".
Updated
Queensland police employee suspended after allegedly selling details of domestic violence victim
By Melanie Vujkovic and Kate McKenna
It's alleged the 46-year-old woman improperly accessed the Queensland Police Service database and sold the information of a domestic violence victim.
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'I'm ruling that out': Queensland rejects call to build new stadium in Brisbane's Victoria Park
By state political reporters Kate McKenna and Rachel Riga
An Olympic and Paralympic infrastructure review by former lord mayor Graham Quirk suggested a more expensive greenfield stadium be built for 2032 at Victoria Park, instead of the Gabba.
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Sophia was a victim of coercive control for more than 17 years. Her teenage daughter ended the abuse
By Jessica Black, state political reporter Kate McKenna and Emma Pollard
Early in her marriage, Sophia went to the police after being controlled by her husband, but they didn't even interview her. It was years before she finally left him.
Hannah Clarke's parents will not stop fighting until coercive control is criminalised across Australia
By state political reporter Kate McKenna
The legislation is expected to come into force next year and will carry a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. The parents of Hannah Clarke say they will not stop fighting until it's criminalised nationwide.
Updated
Four years ago Jenni sang to her son as he died of one of Queensland's more preventable illnesses
Exclusive by Janelle Miles and state political reporter Kate McKenna
Sepsis is the leading cause of preventable deaths in Queensland children, a study has found, occurring at higher rates than youth suicide, road accidents and drownings.
Updated
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services charged over 2022 drowning death of SES volunteer
By Janelle Miles and Kate McKenna
A charge has been laid over the death of a State Emergency Service (SES) volunteer, more than two years after she drowned on a late-night call-out during the south-east Queensland floods.
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Queensland ministers to face the sack if they fail to meet performance targets, opposition leader says
Queensland's opposition leader says ministers will be dumped from their portfolios if they fail to meet performance targets under an LNP government.
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Analysis
analysis:Eight months out from the Queensland election, Labor's departure lounge is filling up
By state political reporter Kate McKenna
Ministerial resignations can spark questions of "rats fleeing a sinking ship", but aren't that surprising at this stage in the election cycle.
Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath to quit politics
By state political reporter Kate McKenna
Yvette D'Ath says after almost 17 years in state and federal politics, she needs to find more balance in her life and won't be contesting the October election.
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