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Rachel McCrow's "infectious smile" and Matthew Arnold's "broad, cheeky grin" will be forever remembered by their mates in blue.

Police in their hundreds, Queenslanders in their thousands and political leaders from across the spectrum gathered at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday to attend a heart-wrenching memorial service for the two fallen young officers.

Constable Arnold, 26, and 29-year-old Constable McCrow were shot dead in an ambush on a Western Downs property at Wieambilla on December 12.

Colleagues trembled and choked back tears as they offered tributes to the pair. They remembered them for their bravery, their professionalism, their optimism and above all for being "so completely determined to help, to be a force for good".

"It has become self-evident that these individuals reflected goodness in their lives," Police Chaplain Jeffrey Baills told the mourning crowd.

Senior Constable Melissa Gibson urged officers far and wide to emulate Const McCrow, saying she would be proud of them for kitting up and returning to serve their communities despite their grief.

"For every bit of evil in this world, Rach, more than anyone, would be reminding us there are still good people who need our help," she said.

Senior Sergeant Laura Harriss revealed that in police work, her mate Const Arnold had finally found his passion and purpose in life.

"He was a big man with an even bigger heart so filled with love for everyone around him," she said.

The two have been recognised for their bravery and dedication, posthumously awarded the Queensland Police Valour Medal, Queensland Police Service Medal, National Police Service Medal and National Medal.

"Matthew and Rachel are colleagues and friends who have been taken from us far too soon," Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll lamented.

"They were committed and enjoyed their policing careers and their passing is a tragic loss. The Queensland Police Service and community have lost two exceptional police officers."

Ms Carroll said the slain officers had created a positive impression and touched the lives of countless individuals and families "in ways that cannot be expressed in words alone".

Yet shock and anger about the ambush, which resulted in the worst loss of police lives in Queensland in living memory, remains palpable.

"What happened on December 12 was un-Australian and does not belong in this country," Rev Baills said.

"It was abhorrent, it was not of God, It was absolute evil.

"This barbaric act has shocked our community and it's irreparably damaged the Arnold family and the McCrow family, and we stand and we sit with you in your grief today and in the days that lie ahead."

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk praised the pair's bravery in their final moments, saying like neighbour Alan Dare who was also fatally shot in the attack, they had gone towards danger rather than run from it.

"From the smallest communities where Matthew and Rachel served, to our biggest cities, even around the world, we recognise and appreciate that every day, our police demonstrate heroism," the premier said.

"In a sea of blue, on an ocean of tears, we will shoulder this burden together, we will rededicate ourselves to their example of there being far more good than there is evil."

Afterwards, thousands of police, dignitaries and ordinary people formed a guard of honour as the two coffins were taken by hearse to private funerals.

The procession was piped off by the police band and led by dozens of cops on motorcycles, with mounties, dog squad officers and patrol cars following. Two police helicopters circled and some officers even stood to salute in boats on surrounding ponds.

The two constables were felled alongside two others, constables Keely Brough and Randall Kirk.

They had gone to the property for a missing persons check and were met by a hail of bullets fired by Gareth Train, his wife Stacey and brother Nathaniel. The shooters died in the subsequent firefight.

Investigators are yet to officially declare a motive but are examining known links between the Trains and extreme conspiracy theorist groups and forums.

Wednesday's service was also attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan and Governor Jeannette Young.

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Police, prosecutors and the victim's support service who handled rape allegations made by Brittany Higgins will be investigated by an independent inquiry launched by the ACT government.

Ms Higgins' former colleague Bruce Lehrmann was tried in the ACT Supreme Court in October before it was derailed due to juror misconduct.

The charges against him were later dropped because of concerns about the impact a second trial would have on Ms Higgins' mental health.

Mr Lehrmann denied the allegation he had raped Ms Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.

After the charges were dropped, it emerged ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold had raised concerns about "political and police conduct" in the case.

He also wrote to the territory's police chief accusing his members of pressuring him not to prosecute Mr Lehrmann.

But the police union hit back at the allegations and accused Mr Drumgold's office of compromising Mr Lehrmann's trial.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury announced a board of inquiry would be established to investigate the matter.

Mr Rattenbury told reporters he was concerned the allegations raised by police and prosecutors may have wider implications for similar cases in the territory.

He said the territory government wanted to ensure criminal matters were prosecuted in a way that was robust, fair and respected the rights of those involved.

The government also wanted to make sure criminal justice entities in the ACT worked together effectively.

But the attorney-general emphasised the inquiry was not about reviewing the trial, evidence presented or its outcomes.

"This trial has been very stressful for all involved," he said.

"While it's important that we do explore the allegations that have arisen in recent weeks ... at the end of the day all the parties involved are human and they do deserve to be treated with a degree of care and respect."

The inquiry will examine interactions between prosecutors and ACT Police regarding the charges against Mr Lehrmann as well as the decisions to go ahead with a first trial and then not proceed with a retrial.

It will also look at how the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner - a support service for people who have experienced crime in the territory - assisted Ms Higgins.

Laws in the ACT related to juror misconduct are also expected to be examined as part of the inquiry.

The full terms of reference outlining the inquiry's scope, as well as the appointment of a legal expert to oversee the matter, will be announced next year.

In a statement, defence lawyer Steven Whybrow said he welcomed the inquiry and hoped it would examine all aspects of the matter.

Mr Whybrow said the terms of reference should also extend to the efforts taken by the DPP to ensure a fair trial.

A spokesperson for ACT Policing said it looked forward to engaging with the inquiry in coming months.

Mr Barr said an inquiry would investigate whether the functions of the territory's criminal justice system were "discharged with the appropriate rigour, impartiality and independence".

The inquiry is expected to hold public and private hearings.

Mr Rattenbury said the prosecutor's office and the police force had a long, ongoing relationship and the allegations from both sides were serious.

"I hope that this matter does not affect that broader relationship but that is part of the reason we are establishing this inquiry," he said.

"To ensure that where those allegations and those fracture points have been aired, there is an independent forum to investigate them."

A report will be provided to the chief minister by the end of June 2023.

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NSW parliament is debating a bill to slow rising electricity costs as the state commits to powering the nation's east coast clean energy grid in an almost-$8 billion deal with the federal government.

The multi-billion investment announcement comes on the same day NSW parliament reconvened to debate legislation designed to facilitate the federal government's national energy plan to curb runaway power bills.

The federal government passed its national energy plan last week, introducing a cap on gas prices at $12 a gigajoule, a mandatory code of conduct for the gas market and the roll out of power bill support for welfare recipients.

Outlining the energy relief bill's clauses hurriedly in an ad-hoc chamber in parliament while it undergoes a $22 million upgrade, Premier Dominic Perrottet said the bill would be in effect until June 30, 2024, capping coal prices at $125 a tonne

"It is my intention to declare a coal price emergency once this bill is passed, allowing the (energy) minister to issue directions cutting the price of coal sold in the domestic market's electricity generation in NSW at $125 per tonne effective from this week until 30 June 2024," he told parliament on Wednesday.

"Without this intervention, electricity prices are forecast to increase up to 56 per cent over the 2022-23 and 2023 24 financial years as outlined in the Commonwealth budget."

The savings generated on the back of this bill would save an average of $240 a year for each NSW household, he said.

However, there would be temporary ramifications for the coal sector.

"Our solution ensures generators are supported with the Commonwealth and NSW to jointly provide financial assistance to coal-fired power stations that purchase coal under existing contracts at prices that exceed the price cap," Mr Perrottet said.

"This bill offers decisive action in response to a unique and isolated challenge".

The premier said NSW would lead the country's transition to renewable energy, pointing to the $7.8 billion in joint federal and state funding for critical transmission and renewable energy zones projects that would plug Snowy 2.0 into the grid.

The bill will be read in the upper house later on Wednesday, after the opposition supported its passage.

Nearly $5 billion will be given from the Albanese government's Rewiring the Nation Plan for the agreement which will unlock eight sites, including the Humelink, Sydney Ring-Hunter Transmission Project, Central-West Orana REZ, VNI West, New England REZ and Hunter-Central Coast REZ.

Mr Albanese said his administration had "worked hand in glove with the states and territories to shield Australian households and businesses from the worst impacts of the energy crisis caused by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine".

"Support for critical transmission infrastructure like Sydney Ring, VNI West and HumeLink, to get across the line, will help transform Australia into a renewable energy superpower," he said.

According to Mr Perrottet, the joint funding will garner another $32 billion in private investment for regional energy infrastructure by 2030.

Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the forward-looking transition to renewables would not only be a boon for business but also families struggling with the rising cost of living.

"The best way to lower energy prices for Australian households and businesses is by increasing firmed renewables across our grid," he said.

"It is the cheapest and most abundant form of energy across our vast continent."

He noted the announcement ensures alternative forms of energy beyond fossil fuels, "can be supplied from wherever the wind is blowing and the sun is shining, to where it's used by households and industry".

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NSW has committed to powering the nation's east coast clean energy grid in a deal with the Commonwealth worth almost $8 billion.

Its announcement came the same day the state passed legislation to facilitate the federal government's national energy plan to curb runaway power bills, a blueprint featuring a $12 a gigajoule gas price cap, a mandatory gas market code of conduct and the rollout of power bill support for welfare recipients.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese explained the forward-looking benefits of his growing clean energy vision at the former Munmorah coal-fired power station on the NSW Central Coast.

"Today's announcement is about the medium term ... we need to make sure to transition to a clean energy economy," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"This is about the transformation of not just NSW but the entire east coast energy network.

"This is one of the biggest announcements that will be made in my prime ministership."

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the joint partnership would provide energy security in the long term and "downward pressure" on household bills in the short term.

Snowy 2.0, an expansion of the original Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme, would mean an additional 2000 megawatts of clean dispatchable electricity, NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Perrottet outlined the clauses of energy relief bill in an emergency sitting of the NSW parliament.

"It is my intention to declare a coal price emergency once this bill is passed ... cutting the price of coal sold in the domestic market's electricity generation in NSW at $125 per tonne effective from this week until 30 June 2024," he said.

"Without this intervention, electricity prices are forecast to increase up to 56 per cent over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years as outlined in the commonwealth budget."

NSW households would save $240 on average via the bill's measures , which Mr Perrottet said offered "decisive action in response to a unique and isolated challenge".

The premier later emphasised the emergency bill was a stopgap measure to control rampant market fluctuations for the next 18 months.

He said NSW would lead the country's transition to renewable energy with the $7.8 billion in joint federal and state funding for critical transmission and renewable energy zones projects that would plug Snowy 2.0 into the grid.

The bill will be read in the upper house later on Wednesday, after the opposition supported its passage.

Nearly $5 billion in funding will come from the Albanese government's Rewiring the Nation plan, to unlock eight sites including the Humelink, Sydney Ring-Hunter Transmission Project, Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), VNI West, New England REZ and Hunter-Central Coast REZ.

The prime minister said his administration had worked "hand in glove" with the states and territories to shield Australian households and businesses from the worst impacts of the energy crisis, caused by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

"Support for critical transmission infrastructure like Sydney Ring, VNI West and HumeLink to get across the line, will help transform Australia into a renewable energy superpower," he said.

According to Mr Perrottet, the joint funding will garner another $32 billion in private investment for regional energy infrastructure by 2030.

Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the transition to renewables would not only be a boon for business but also for struggling families.

"The best way to lower energy prices for Australian households and businesses is by increasing firmed renewables across our grid," he said.

"It is the cheapest and most abundant form of energy across our vast continent."

© AAP 2022