Received

Queensland Police constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow have been awarded valour medals at an emotional memorial for the pair who were gunned down in the line of duty.

Hundreds of police officers and thousands of members of the public and political leaders observed a memorial service for the young officers at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday.

Early-career constables Arnold, 26, and McCrow, 29, were ambushed and shot dead on a property at Wieambilla, west of Brisbane, on December 12.

They have now been recognised for their bravery, professionalism and dedication and 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 told the mourners.

"They were committed and enjoyed their policing careers and their passing is a tragic loss.

"Both the Queensland Police Service and the community have lost two exceptional police officers.

"Matthew and Rachel created a positive impression on both sworn and non-sworn members of the QPS, members of the community, and touched the lives of countless individuals and families in ways that cannot be expressed in words alone."

Earlier, Police Chaplain Jeffrey Baills paid tribute to the constables saying "our hearts bleed blue".

Constable Arnold was described as a man with a "broad cheeky smile" who strived to do his best at school and in sport, particularly volleyball, as he grew up in Parkinson, south of Brisbane, his friend Senior Sergeant Laura Hariss said.

The triplet maintained that work ethic and his sense of duty and care as a serving police officer, most recently at Tara Police Station.

"He was a big man with an even bigger heart so filled with love for everyone around him," Snr Sgt Harriss told mourners.

Constable McCrow was a warm-hearted person whose smile "could light up any room on the darkest of days", her good friend Senior Constable Melissa Gibson said.

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

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said like other first responders, and neighbour Alan Dare who was also shot dead, on that fateful day the constables had gone towards danger rather than run away from it.

"In this sea of blue ... on an ocean of tears. Across our state and around our country we'll shoulder this burden together. We will rededicate ourselves to their example - of there being far more good than there is evil," she said.

Chaplain Baills called for the police community and all Queenslanders to "not draw away, but to draw together" in response to the "abhorrent" in which the constables were killed.

"We have had a major attack on the police in Queensland but, ladies and gentlemen, I want to say to us today: we will not be broken," he said.

"We will, tomorrow, turn up to our shift, and we will stand shoulder to shoulder again, and seek to do the best we can to keep Queensland safe and fulfil our duties as outstanding men and women."

The ceremony was broadcast live across Queensland. Private funeral services will be held later on Wednesday.

The two constables were attacked alongside two other officers, constables Keely Brough and Randall Kirk.

They had gone to the property for a missing persons check and were met by a hail of gunfire fired by Gareth Train, his wife Stacey and his 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.

The service was also attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll, state Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and Governor Jeannette Young are also at the service.

© AAP 2022

Australia's leading golfer Cam Smith has been given the all-clear to play in the Masters in 2023.

Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley announced on Tuesday that any golfer who has qualified for the Masters tournament based on its previous criteria will be invited to play in April.

That means at least 15 players currently competing on the LIV Golf circuit will be part of the field, including Smith who receives an invitation after winning the 2022 British Open Championship.

Having achieved four top ten finishes in the last five Masters, tying for second in 2020 and third in 2022, Smith will fancy his chances in Georgia.

Previous Masters champions qualify, which enables Americans Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia of Spain, and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.

Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are allowed to head to Augusta as winners of the US Open in the past five years.

Joaquin Niemann of Chile has qualified through being in the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings prior to leaving the PGA Tour in September.

Several others will finish the year in the top 50 of the world ranking including Kevin Na and Louis Oosthuizen.

However, Ridley made clear the club was unhappy at the schism that has developed in the sport since the arrival of LIV and re-iterated that in future qualifying criteria may change.

"Regrettably, recent actions have divided men's professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it," he said in a statement. "Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honour the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field of golfers this coming April.

"Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April."

The PGA Tour has suspended members who have competed in the Saudi-funded breakaway without permission.

© RAW 2022

NSW will power the nation's east coast clean energy grid as part of an almost-$8 billion deal with the federal government to boost its electricity infrastructure.

The $7.8 billion in joint funding - $4.7 from the Commonwealth's Rewiring the Nation Plan and $3.1 from the NSW Transmission Acceleration Facility - will back critical transmission and renewable energy zones projects that will plug Snowy 2.0 into the grid as well as creating nearly 4000 jobs.

This agreement 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.

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

Premier Dominic Perrottet says parliament's recall on Wednesday is to consider amending an existing bill, allowing the government to force coal and gas companies to cap their prices.

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.

The NSW legislation will empower the state to cap the coal price at $125 a tonne, Mr Perrottet said Monday.

Mr Albanese said on Wednesday 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 unlock $32 billion in private investment for regional energy infrastructure by 2030.

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".

© AAP 2022