How a Queensland fire station promised to the community was sold to the Catholic church and became a flooring showroom

Queensland MP Stirling Hinchliffe announced that the old Sandgate fire station would be gifted to the community, however it was later sold to the Catholic church, with plans to make it a flooring showroom. Composite: AAP/Getty Images/ Alamy

The Queensland MP Stirling Hinchliffe told state parliament in 2021 there had been a “strong field of community groups” wanting to take ownership of the old Sandgate fire and rescue station.

The government had promised the property would be “granted to the community and not sold off for profit”. A local disability charity then won an expression of interest process and Hinchliffe announced that another election commitment had been ticked off.