Tribute in blue to fallen police officers

Parliament House was lit in blue in tribute to Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.

Flags on the building were lowered to half-mast.

Inside, Members of Parliament paid their respects with statements during the sittings and by wearing Victoria Police Blue Ribbons.

‘These past couple of days have been among the toughest our state has known. After yesterday’s tragedy in Porepunkah, two families are now living with grief most of us just cannot imagine: the loss of people they loved most, taken by the most senseless act of violence,’ Premier Jacinta Allan said.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin, speaking on the day of the tragedy, said: 'Can I just put on record that it is on days like today that this Parliament – every person in this place – should be standing side by side with Victoria Police and reminding them that each and every day we will have their back.' 

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said: ‘Two officers lost their lives upholding the right to serve and protect our community yesterday and another is in hospital but out of surgery.’

‘Those two fallen officers are among now 175 others who have lost their lives in the line of duty here in Victoria,’ he said.

Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, who represents the area where the police officers lost their lives, told the Legislative Assembly it was ‘a tragedy, a senseless act that words cannot describe’.

‘Today I rise with a heavy heart and offer my condolences to the families and the friends of the officers that were killed and injured in that incident yesterday in Porepunkah. Those police officers went to work yesterday expecting to come home last night, and two of them did not,’ he said.