Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (13:50): On Friday 6 March Aidan Becker put aside any thought for his own safety and stepped in to protect a 14-year-old schoolboy who was being attacked by thugs at the Mernda railway station. Aidan’s courageous intervention resulted in those thugs stalking him down and callously killing him by stabbing him numerous times with a machete – a truly senseless and tragic act. The death of Aidan Becker is heartbreaking, and I extend my deepest condolences to his mother Natalie, his father Matthias, his sister Siobhan, his extended family and friends and the Mernda community. Natalie and Matthias raised a truly amazing, caring and wonderful son, who has been taken from them, their family and the Mernda community far too young.

Aidan played footy for the Mernda Junior Football Club from the under-10s to under-18s and was also a proud North Melbourne Kangaroos supporter. He worked as a security guard at the Alfred hospital and clearly had a deep instinct to offer protection to the vulnerable. I have been deeply moved to read and hear from people who knew him. They have all praised him as an outstanding young man and a beautiful soul who showed kindness to those around him. Friends say he was a peacemaker, but tragically his life has been cut short by criminals committed to intimidation and violence.

The entire Victorian community is shocked and saddened by this dreadful and senseless crime. Last Friday night, together with Jess Wilson and a number of my parliamentary colleagues, I joined the estimated 3000 people who gathered for a candlelight vigil to pay tribute to Aidan, who was remarkably brave and selfless. Aidan paid the highest price for his heroic act, and we cannot allow his sacrifice to be forgotten. Vale, Aidan Becker.