Queensland's police minister won't say if he knew about a gun-running incident reportedly involving one of the alleged Wieambilla shooters last year.
Investigators are probing the weapons used in the shootings of Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, and 58-year-old Alan Dare, at a rural property in Wieambilla, three hours west of Brisbane on December 12.
Alleged shooters Nathaniel Train, brother Gareth and sister-in-law Stacey, who were all shot dead by tactical police, may have used firearms registered in NSW, according to police sources.
Nathaniel allegedly breached COVID-19 rules in December 2021 by crossing from NSW over the border and dumping guns, ammunition and other items in a Queensland creek, the ABC has reported.
Police Minister Mark Ryan has refused to say if he was briefed about the incident at the time, a year before the Wieambilla shootings.
"I don't want to comment on the accuracy or otherwise of your statement," he told reporters on Tuesday.
"It is a full investigation, the matters are before the coroner. The (police) commissioner has been very clear that there will be a very thorough investigation and the coroner will look at all aspects of this matter."
Questions about gun-running come as the prime minister said he would hold talks about better ways to share information about registered firearms between jurisdictions with state and territory leaders.
"I am certainly up for dialogue with the states and territories about how there can be better national consistency and national information that can serve the interests of police going about their duty," he told reporters in Canberra.
Investigators are also probing the circumstances of the shootings, which fellow constables Keely Brough and her colleague Randall Kirk managed to escape.
When asked why four police had been sent to check on Nathaniel Train after he was reported missing by family in NSW, Mr Ryan said that was common practice in rural areas.
Meanwhile, he said he supported the police union's "very good idea" to purchase the Trains' property and convert it into a memorial, a retreat or a police training centre.
"I'm very supportive of that. In my view, that ground is now sacred ground, that is where the lives of two heroes of Queensland were taken, and I can think of no better way than to preserve that forever," Mr Ryan said.
Talks about a memorial come as up to 8000 people are set to pay tribute to Constables Arnold and McCrow at a public funeral at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday.
The ceremony to farewell the pair with full police honours will be live-streamed online and broadcast on TV. Queenslanders will be able to watch the event at a number of public venues around the state, including communities near Wieambilla such as Tara, Dalby and Chinchilla.
