‘Sweet lady’ who turned conspiracy theorist
Ex-colleague in shock
THE woman killed alongside her husband and his brother in a shootout with Queensland Police had similar views on conspiracy theories and quit her job as a teacher after refusing to get a Covid-19 vaccine. Stacey Jane Train was the head of curriculum at Tara Shire State School before resigning in late-2021 after butting heads with the school over the Queensland Department of Education’s vaccine requirements. Her husband Gareth had been heavily involved in multiple conspiracy theory websites before he, Stacey and his brother Nathaniel were shot dead at their rural property in the Wieambilla area on Monday.
A few hours earlier they had killed young police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, and then shot dead neighbour Alan Dare, who came to investigate the commotion. It can now be revealed Stacey Train had similar conspiracy views to her husband but a former colleague at Tara Shire State School told The Daily Telegraph they only came out after her departure from the school. “She was into it too but kept it to herself at work,” the teacher said. “But when she quit at the end of last year over the vaccine we all became very aware of it.”
In online forums, Gareth Train said he believed the Port Arthur massacre was orchestrated by the government, told of his desire to take on law enforcement if they ever came on to his property and rattled off Covid-19 conspiracy theories.
Stacey’s ex-colleague said she too tried to discuss her views on Covid-19 with them – but they chose to ignore her. “She did try but I’m not a conspiracy theorist so I cut her off because I was a little embarrassed for her,” colleague said.
But there was never an indication of what would unfold on Monday night. Instead, the Stacey Train they
When she quit over the vaccine, we all became very aware EX-COLLEAGUE OF STACEY TRAIN
knew back then was a “sweet lady” and a “mentor” to younger teachers. The colleague believed she ended up becoming “too isolated” from the community.
“I’m definitely in shock. You’ve no idea,” they said.
“She mentored me and lots of other teachers about curriculum.
“She really cared for the kids but EQ (Education Queensland) just asked more and more of teachers … we never get a break.
“I’m so sad for her. They were renovating their house and looking forward to not working for a while. But she just got too isolated.”