Alongside speeches made in Parliament, On 5 October 2025, Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester shared the following statement on Facebook.

“Out of respect for his family and loved ones, I haven’t commented until now on the brutal and senseless killing last weekend of 18-year-old Kaiden Morgan-Johnston.

But our community is hurting and it’s important we all stand together to end the cycle of violence. There are no ‘right words’ at a time like this but none of us should be afraid to speak up and commit ourselves to peacefully fixing the problems which exist.

I remain shocked and appalled that a young man has been murdered and his friend seriously injured in such a violent attack in our community. Many people, including emergency service workers, will carry the scars of this tragedy for the rest of their lives.

Kaiden deserves to be remembered for the way he lived, not how he died. Please don’t share the video which was posted online by the metropolitan media.

I grew up with members of Kaiden’s extended family and although we have different coloured skin, we always called ourselves ‘cousins’. From the personal conversations we have shared, I know his family is hurting deeply, and the impact of this murder has spread throughout the community with respectful marches for justice and heartfelt appeals for the hate and violence to end.

Victoria Police members have acted quickly and charges have been laid against two alleged offenders. The court system can seem slow but I urge everyone to be patient and let justice take its course.

The best way to honour Kaiden’s memory is to embrace the things that he cared about. Kaiden loved his family and was proud of his culture which he demonstrated through dance and supporting other Indigenous young people in the Latrobe Valley.

We have so much more work to do as a nation to end violent crime in our homes, at schools, and on our streets. This tragic death is just another reason why we must never give up.

As his mum Sascha Johnston said: ‘He brought everybody together, every walk of life, every generation; it didn't matter if you were Indigenous or non-Indigenous, he was a true lover of life and people. My beautiful boy, you are SO loved. I will NEVER stop fighting for you. Until my last breath, you will have my heart.’”