Families of Queensland police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold call for change at Wieambilla inquest
The family of two police officers who were killed in the Wieambilla shootings have delivered powerful final statements to the inquest into their deaths. They told the court the 5-week inquiry has been emotionally draining and left them with more questions than answers.
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00:00Tears, hugs and anger. That's how the families of two slain police constables have coped
00:09after being confronted with harrowing details about their loved one's final moments.
00:15We desperately miss Matt and Rachel. The pain is so excruciating and unimaginable. It is
00:20with us every breath and every step we take. The process has been extremely traumatic.
00:26Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were ripped from their families by a crazed trio while
00:31responding to a routine job at a William Biller property in December 2022.
00:37Gareth Nathaniel and Stacey Train were psychotic and paranoid religious extremists and thought
00:43police were demons. And when four officers entered their bush block, they unleashed with
00:49high-powered weapons. Their neighbour, Alan Dare, was caught up in the deadly attack.
00:55A good Samaritan unknowingly walked into danger and was also murdered.
01:01A wide-ranging inquest into their deaths and those of the killers, who were later taken
01:05out by specialist police, has explored a number of issues. But the in-depth probe hasn't given
01:11some closure.
01:13While the inquest exposed the evil acts which brutally ended Matt and Rachel's hopes and
01:18ambitions, it also highlighted serious operational failings that we believe could have prevented
01:25this tragedy.
01:26On the final day of the hearing, lawyers gave lengthy closing submissions, telling the court
01:31there were some missed opportunities. The families of those who died were all invited
01:37to address the inquest directly.
01:39Mr Dare's stepson decided not to read his prepared statement, telling the court he didn't
01:44see the point. He told the coroner things clearly needed to change and he and his family
01:50just wanted to be left alone.
01:52The coroner now has the difficult task of trying to determine how such an unthinkable
01:58crime took place and whether anything similar could be prevented.
02:03What I want to see is some good, solid recommendations from the coroner.
02:08Matt and Rachel's deaths must not be in vain.