MH17: National memorial service to remember victims of downed Malaysia Airlines flight one year on

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The Federal Government will hold a national memorial service next month to mark one year since the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine.

A total of 298 passengers and crew died when the plane was shot down on July 17, 2014.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said 39 of those killed "called Australia home", and victims' families, MPs and senators will be invited to the anniversary event in Canberra.

"We took the families of flight MH17 in into our hearts a year ago," Mr Abbott said.

"I hope that this service might help to sustain them as they face this very, very difficult anniversary.

"Anniversaries are always difficult times so we will continue to stand with all who lost so much and are now rebuilding their lives.

"This service will remember those who lost their lives and it will give thanks to those who were involved in the recovery and the investigation."

Mr Abbott said a permanent memorial would also be erected at Parliament House to remember the Australian victims.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Labor "wholeheartedly supports" the service and memorial.

"For those loved ones left behind it is still a time, I believe, of slowly passing shock, of disbelief and of mourning," Mr Shorten said.

The Boeing 777 was shot down over rebel-held territory in Ukraine's east.

The Federal Government said Australian officials "continue to play critical roles in the investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice".

Topics: air-and-space, accidents, disasters-and-accidents, death, community-and-society, canberra-2600, australia, malaysia, ukraine