Editorial: Wieambilla red flag that must not be missed again

The inquest into the Wieambilla massacre has heard of warning signs that may have helped prevent the tragedy, writes the editor.

The evidence in the Wieambilla inquest is difficult to read, hear and watch, but it is necessary in order to get answers as to why two police officers and an innocent civilian died that day.

“Chilling” does not even begin to describe the evidence so far, and there is still more than three weeks of witnesses, video and recordings to come.

What is important – for the families of the victims, as well as the wider Queensland community – is that this hearing finds a pathway to ensuring as much as possible is done so a tragedy of this magnitude never happens again.

Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, begged for her life as her killer walked towards her. She had already been shot three times, and despite her pleas, she was killed at close range.

Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, never stood a chance – he was shot soon after entering the property at Wieambilla on December 12, 2022, as extremist killers Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train lay in wait.

Neighbour Alan Dare, 56, was also shot dead as he ventured on to the property after spotting smoke.

Their stories are important. None of them deserved to die.

Rachel McCrow’s family has already called for a national gun register and reforms to police procedures. Her mother Judy McCrow bravely spoke outside court on Monday.

It was the first time she has publicly spoken, and she said she did so because her family and that of Matthew Arnold “don’t want the loss of Rachel and Matthew to be in vain”. She posed the question: Could a national weapons and ammunition register, drones and satellite-based communication strategies reduce the current risk?

Photos: Shocking images shown at Wieambilla inquest

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Ms McCrow said: “Every police officer in Queensland – both now and into the future – must be protected. They should be secure in the knowledge that everything possible is being done to ensure they make it home after every shift.”

The federal government did indeed commit more than $160m to a national firearms register in the wake of the Wieambilla killings, after one was first proposed following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre and never came to fruition. But it is at this stage not expected to be operational by 2028.

The Wieambilla inquest has a remit to look at “whether any changes to procedures or policies could reduce the likelihood of deaths occurring in similar circumstances or otherwise contribute to public health and safety”. So this could be an ideal opportunity to speed up things and explore how such a register could work, and if it would have saved the lives of those who died that way.

The inquiry also heard yesterday that reports of shots being fired around the property had not been logged in QPRIME, the police database. One of the reports was made just 10 days before the officers went to the property.

A senior officer giving evidence agreed this would have been a red flag if it was logged in the database.

It is details like this that will inform the coroner on what recommendations can be made to improve safety for our police officers and the wider community.

The onus will then be on the government and Queensland Police Service to ensure the recommendations are implemented quickly and efficiently. It is the only way to appropriately honour the memories of Rachel McCrow, Matthew Arnold and Alan Dare.

IT’S JUST TAXPAYERS’ MONEY

Another day and another series of examples of the cavalier attitude this Miles state government has to the spending of taxpayer cash.

First we had Premier Steven Miles again defending the fact that it cost nearly $170,000 to take two private jets that flew in convoy across Queensland for five days to ferry him and his staff, plus the Police Minister and Commissioner, to places well served by commercial airlines – all so they could take part in a series of photo opportunities spruiking a new crime policy.

This was “entirely appropriate”, Mr Miles claimed. “I will never apologise for spending time in regional Queensland and for making the arrangements that are necessary to spend as much time there as I can.” Sure, but did you really need to take two jets? This in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis that – as we separately report today – has seen many Queenslanders resort to taking out a loan to cover their rent or even basic expenses.

Meanwhile we also learnt yesterday that beleaguered state-owned CS Energy spent $38m of taxpayers’ money hiring lawyers over the past two years, including to fight the release of the landmark report into the company’s woes that ended up being released anyway.

And then we found out that the Premier’s centrepiece renewable energy pumped hydro project could end up costing $24bn – eight times the cost of a necessary new stadium he is now simply refusing to build in time for the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics in 2032.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: Wieambilla red flag that must not be missed again