Two police officers and a neighbour killed in a domestic terror attack that “touched the soul of the nation” have been remembered in tearful tributes in Queensland parliament.

Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were shot dead by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train after the officers arrived at their Wieambilla property, more than 300km west of Brisbane, on December 12.

Constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough escaped the attack, which last week investigators said was a domestic terror crime motivated by extremist Christian beliefs.

Neighbour Alan Dare was also gunned down after going to check on the commotion, with the Trains killed in a gunfight with specialist police that night.

Warrego MP Ann Leahy says the tragedy has etched a quiet rural area in history.

“It touched the soul of the nation,” she said during a condolence motion in parliament on Thursday.

The Liberal National Party MP fought back tears speaking about the victims’ families, choking up as she mentioned Constable Arnold’s triplet brother and sister.

“To lose a sibling is tragic, to lose a triplet is indescribable,” Ms Leahy said.

She said the slain officers were so respected in their community that she had even heard some locals wanted for questioning about other alleged crimes had handed themselves in after the attack.

“They came up to the police station, they laid their tribute flowers, and they proceeded to hand themselves in to the police, voluntarily,” Ms Leahy said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said what happened to constables McCrow and Arnold was an “outrage” and “a deliberate act of hate-filled malice”.

She said Queenslanders owed it to the officers to never forget the circumstances of their loss and to stop the division, misinformation and bile “tearing our society apart”.

“But let’s also remember the way Rachel and Matthew lived,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“True leaders of their communities, a credit to their families, their state, and to their brothers and sisters in blue. With great honour, they served.”

Opposition police spokesman Dale Last said the barbarity of that day could never be understated, but he said the bravery, comradeship and community concern on display should be remembered.

“We saw courage and bravery by police officers and community members not just as the incident unfolded, but also during the rescue of constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough and well beyond (as fellow) officers grieved, and came to terms with the events of that day,” he said.

“We must commit today to recognise that family friends, family members, friends and colleagues are still coming to terms with the events of that day.”

Labor MP Melissa McMahon, a former police officer whose husband is still serving in the force, said while the attack will be reviewed to work out what could have been done differently, there was not much that could prepare anyone for what happened.

“I thank the police officers from the local area who went out there to recover their fallen brother and sister,” she said.

“I thank the police officers and specialist officers that travelled and then stayed throughout the night to make sure the incident was resolved.

“And I thank every Queensland Police officer who turned up for work the next day, because that is no easy thing to do, because that is what police do. 

“They take the burden, they stand shoulder to shoulder in the grief, and they keep Queenslanders safe the next day.”