Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2342 ..

4

In recognition of that function, the Bill provides for a Coroner who forms the reasonable belief that an indictable offence may have been committed in relation to the matter being investigated to pass information of the possible offence to the Director of Public Prosecutions and adjourn the inquest or inquiry until any consequent criminal matter has been dealt with.

The Coroners Act was enacted in 1956 and has been substantially amended little since. The most significant amendment of the Act was in 1994 in response to the Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. So, in addition to the proposals for the amendment of the Act in the Exposure Draft Bill, the Act was reviewed as part of the review of pre-1980 legislation. The Bill re-writes the Act in a more accessible form and up-dates its structure.

I commend the Coroners Bill to members. The new provisions provide a structured means for access for the family and relations of a deceased to the coronial procedure and provide for reasonable consideration to be given to the sensitivities of community groups while allowing the essential function of the Coroner to be undertaken for the benefit of the community as a whole.

I present the Explanatory Memorandum for the Coroners Bill 1997 and for the Coroners (Consequential Provisions) Bill 1997.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .