Detective Senior Sergeant Rod Iddles says he "has no regrets" about presenting the photo to 400 men during his presentation at last week's Biggest Blokes Lunch. 

The photo, showing Ms Meagher’s partially-naked body in a shallow grave, was used to encourage people to look after one another. 

Detective Senior Sergeant Rod Iddles yesterday apologised to anyone who was offended by the act, saying he had Jill Meagher’s parents' full support.

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Barry Lyons defended the action, saying the confronting presentation was "a much-needed reality check".  

Cr Lyons said the crime scene photo of Jill Meagher's semi-naked body lying in a shallow grave was "just one of the confronting images shown in the very effective presentation". 

"There was nothing offensive in it, in my opinion, and I presume they checked with the family whether they could use the photo," he said. 

"I thought it was confronting but it was in context with the entire speech.

"It worked for me as a reality check and I left thinking gee whiz, we need to look out for each other. 

"Some men might have been squirmish but you could hear a pin drop and we were all spellbound by the entire presentation."

Cr Lyons said it was impossible to know how Jill Meagher's family would respond to the image being shown to 400 men. 

"I have no idea how they would be feeling. They might think of it in another way - that it could help prevent this from happening to someone else."

UPDATE: More Bendigo people have spoken out about the showing of a photo of Jill Meagher's semi-naked body at the Biggest Blokes Lunch. 

Councillor James Williams was among the 400 men who were shown the image and said it was disappointing the real issue had been forgotten. 

"The message was to look out for your mates and this photo was shown with the best of intentions," he said. 

"(Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles) is a genuine fellow and it's a difficult issue to deal with - it's a tough gig for him."

When asked if he was offended by the image, he said "it is difficult to see those sort of things". 

"Ultimately though, he was just trying to show we should look out for people."

A fellow attendee, who did not wish to be named, said while the image was confronting, it was up for less than two seconds. 

"On reflection it was probably best left out of the presentation," he said. 

"In the interest of a great cause he used a number of confronting stories to get his message across. 

"That message being that we need to be on the lookout for opportunities to help those in the community around us...

"The case examples that Ron presented reflected the dire consequences when, as a community, we miss some of those opportunities.

"I'm sure he meant no disrespect to the victim, or her family, but I can understand the reaction to this."

UPDATE: Councillor Mark Weragoda "looked away in shock" when a senior detective showed a crime scene photo of Jill Meagher's semi-naked body to hundreds of men. 

He fears the image, which he said came with no pre-warning, could have brought up past issues for audience members.

"It brings back bad memories and you don't know what other audience members have been through," he said. 

"It made me think of the time I saw two bodies of people who had died in a car accident which is something I haven't thought about for years. 

"Anyone in that audience could have had direct contact with Jill's family. It just saddens you and lingers long after." 

Cr Weragoda said the disturbing image, which is now burnt in his mind, overshadowed the usually positive day. 

"It took away from the important message of the day (to talk about men's health)," he said. 

"We should be talking about the positive message, not the sad death of Jill Meagher in those awful circumstances.

"It's disappointing and it certainly wasn't the ideal thing to be portrayed."

Cr Weragoda said Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles, who showed the photo to more than 400 guests, was a great speaker who had missed the point in his latest speech. 

"He was telling people to seek help before it's too late, a great message, but this picture just wasn't appropriate," he said. 

"He also showed beautiful photos of young children who were now deceased, which weren't as disturbing but still saddening. 

"It was the Jill Meagher photo that got people talking though. So many people mentioned it to me and said they were disturbed by it. 

"The case is fresh in people's minds and you don't want to see an image of her partially naked, covered with dirt in a grave while eating lunch. 

"I looked away. I can't stomach things like that."

EARLIER: A senior homicide squad detective has shown graphic crime scene photos taken during the investigation into Jill Meagher's murder during a fundraising event in Bendigo.

Police command have apologised to Ms Meagher's family after Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles showed the photos during a speech at the Biggest Blokes Lunch last Friday. 

The images were shown on a big screen to about 400 people during his speech.

Event organiser Keith Sutherland would not comment on the nature of the photos, but said some audience members had considered them graphic.

It is unclear if the images included photos of Ms Meagher's body.

He said Detective Senior Sergeant Iddles, a respected member of the homicide squad who regularly speaks at public forums, had been speaking about the value of looking after each other when he had shown the pictures.

Assistant Commissioner (crime) Steve Fontana said Detective Senior Sergeant Iddles was one of Victoria Police's most dedicated and hard working detectives and had been in the force for more than 30 years.

"This was a unfortunate error of judgement and my sincere apologies are extended to Jill's family, friends, the community, and in particular, to her husband Tom.

"With immediate effect, Victoria Police has banned all further public presentations on operational matters until some appropriate protocols have been developed.

"Few wearing the uniform have been more committed and loyal in their service of the community. 

"I am saddened that a speech he delivered in good faith - at a charity fundraiser - will have caused further emotional anguish for the family."

Mr Sutherland had booked Detective Senior Sergeant Iddles for the fundraiser for prostate cancer after he was impressed with his speech at another event in the region earlier this year.

"The message was about looking after our mates and your neighbours," Mr Sutherland said.

"It was supposedly a graphic photo, I didn't see it.

"He was saying that in our community people are not communicating and people do not look out for each other when things happen

"He made comment about certain murders and times where people have said something and didn't act on it."

Mr Sutherland said about 400 people had been at the lunch, which raised $70,000.

Detective Senior Sergeant Iddles' involvement in the investigation into Ms Meagher's death was mentioned in a newspaper article previewing the event, which also featured a speech from a survivor of prostate cancer, an auction and a raffle.

"The whole thing has been taken away from what the event was about, which is raising awareness about prostate cancer.

"Nobody complained to me and everyone took away the important message that you should get checked because it's something that's killing a lot of blokes needlessly.

"It wasn't about [Detective Senior Sergeant Iddles] big-noting about the murders he'd done, it was about looking out for your mates."