CONDOLENCE books have been opened in the offices of state members of parliament so Riverina residents can pay personal tribute to victims of the flight MH17 tragedy.
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The shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine on July 17 claimed 298 lives, including up to 39 Australian citizens and residents.
The terrorist act has struck at the heart of the Riverina, which lost three young Riverina men in the 2002 Bali bombings.
Condolence books have been placed in the electorate offices of member for Wagga Daryl Maguire, member for Murrumbidgee Adrian Piccoli (in Griffith) and member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson (in Yass).
NSW Premier Mike Baird said six MH17 victims were NSW residents.
"This has been an unspeakable tragedy, devastating families and communities in our state and across the nation," Mr Baird said.
He said the condolence books would allow the public to express their sorrow and pay tribute to the victims in a personal way.
Mr Maguire, who is out of Wagga, said the condolence book was a small thing the community could do to help the country come to terms with the tragedy.
"Like all Australians, I am absolutely sickened by this loss of life," Mr Maguire said.
"The community needs to grieve, it's so sad."
Wagga mayor Rod Kendall was one of the first to sign the condolence book in Mr Maguire's Morgan Street office on Wednesday morning and he encouraged all residents to follow suit.
Councillor Kendall said while people understood there would be wars from time to time that cost lives, they would be particularly upset about the bringing down of MH17 by a missile suspected of being launched by Russia-backed separatists.
"They were just innocent people flying overhead"
- Wagga mayor Rod Kendall
"In this instance, and in too many instances in the past, these wars have spread into the taking of lives of innocent people going about their everyday life in circumstances totally unrelated to the conflict, and that, of course, is the particular tragedy in this case," Councillor Kendall said.
"Not a single person on that plane had any connection whatsoever with this (Ukrainian) conflict.
"They were just innocent people flying overhead."
Mr Baird said at an appropriate time the NSW Government would discuss with the families of victims a suitable way for the condolence books to be presented.
The government has also opened an online condolence book on its website www.nsw.gov.au.
The national flag was flown at half mast last Saturday as Australia mourned the loss of its people killed in Ukraine.
A national day of mourning will be observed with a national commemorative service on a date yet to be decided.