PM Transcripts

Transcripts from the Prime Ministers of Australia

Turnbull, Malcolm

Period of Service: 15/09/2015 - 24/08/2018
Release Date:
17/07/2016
Release Type:
Media Release
Transcript ID:
40348
Second anniversary of the downing of Flight MH17

Today marks the second anniversary of the downing of Flight MH17 over the Ukraine.

Our thoughts are with those who grieve the loss of 298 passengers and crew who were murdered on that day two years ago.

We especially remember the 38 passengers who called Australia home.

Their names are etched on a memorial in the gardens of Parliament House, as a permanent reminder of the joy, beauty and wisdom each brought to the world.

It is a reminder that the void they left in the lives of so many is the product of having loved and of having been loved in equal measure.

The memorial is resting in soil which was carried from the Ukraine by an AFP officer from the field where the victims fell.

Today we pay tribute to those who loved them and were loved by them.

In the midst of their grief, they have humbled us with their grace and courage.

They remind us yet again that love is so much stronger than hatred.

We also pay tribute to more than 500 Australian servicemen and women, police and other officers who travelled to the Ukraine and the Netherlands two years ago.

Their professionalism and compassion brought dignity and order to the difficult task of bringing our people home.

We also thank the members of the Joint Investigation Team from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and the Ukraine who are working on the criminal investigation.

Australia continues to work closely with our partner governments to bring to account the perpetrators of this atrocity and to ensure justice for the victims and their families. 

As the sunflowers bloom again in this Ukrainian summer, we remember the victims and recommit our love and support to their families and friends. 

40348