World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Laura police station is unstaffed as Queensland recruits replacement officer
Laura’s police station in Far North Queensland is unstaffed while Queensland Police recruit a replacement for its sole officer, who is on unplanned leave.
Officers from Cooktown and Hope Vale are covering calls and patrols in the district, more than 140 kilometres away.
The area covers a large part of southern Cape York Peninsula, including a route used by tourists travelling north.
Local residents and advocates say police support was already stretched, with the station’s two-officer posting long staffed by just one.
The Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service says delays could put domestic violence victim-survivors at risk, and flooding during the approaching wet season may cut roads.
The police union says a relief officer could have been sent while recruitment continued, and says 745 positions are vacant across the service.
Queensland Police are recruiting to fill the Laura vacancy, but no date for a return to local staffing is given.
Queensland Police Service says Laura’s police station in Far North Queensland is empty while it recruits a replacement for its sole officer, who took unplanned leave.
Police say officers from Cooktown and Hope Vale are covering patrols and call-outs in the meantime.
Community members and an Indigenous family violence legal service have raised concerns about safety and delayed police responses.
The Queensland Police Union says a relief officer could have been sent while recruitment continued.
- Who
- Queensland Police Service is recruiting a replacement officer for Laura; officers from Cooktown and Hope Vale are covering patrols and call-outs.
- What
- Laura’s police station is unstaffed while recruitment is underway.
- When
- The vacancy was confirmed earlier in the week before the article was published on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Laura, a remote township in Cape York Peninsula, Far North Queensland.
- Why
- The station’s sole officer took unplanned leave, and QPS is recruiting a replacement.
Queensland Police Service
Queensland Police Union
Interim coverage
Queensland Police Service
QPS said officers from Cooktown and Hope Vale were covering patrols and call-outs.
Queensland Police Union
Union president Shane Prior said QPS could have sent a relief officer to Laura immediately.
Response to vacancy
Queensland Police Service
QPS said recruitment was underway to replace the officer who took unplanned leave.
Queensland Police Union
Prior said the position could have been filled but was not because it would cost too much.
QPS confirmed that Laura police station was empty while it recruited a replacement for the officer on unplanned leave.
The Queensland Police Union met with QPS and understood the station would be staffed as soon as …
- Station
- Laura, Cape York Peninsula
- Distance
- 310 kilometres north-west of Cairns
- Interim coverage
- Officers from Cooktown and Hope Vale, more than 140 kilometres away
- Vacancies
- 745 positions vacant across the Queensland Police Service, according to union president Shane Prior
- Posting
- Laura’s two-officer posting had long been staffed by just one officer
What people are saying
The response from police should be the same: it should be urgent, it should be available.
We have a lot of illegal campers and illegal prospectors and people lighting fires, arsonists.
It is the last bit of bitumen till they finish between the PDR before you hit dirt, and that's where a lot of issues can start and end in that town.
It's simply not good enough. The community of Laura deserved better. They deserve a police officer.