CORONERS (RECOMMENDATIONS) AMENDMENT BILL

Committee Stage

In committee.

Clause 1.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: I wanted to respond to some of the comments made by the Hons Mr Wade and Mr Winderlich in their second reading speeches. They were very critical of me in suggesting that I had failed to put the government's position on the record which, in fact, I did. I indicated that we were consulting the Coroner and, while those consultations were taking place, we would prefer to defer the bill but if pushed we would oppose it. I have the Hansard here but I cannot see the passage. I think one of them at least claimed—and I think it was the Hon. Mr Wade—that we clearly had not consulted the Coroner or were not intending to and that it was some sort of furphy.

I indicate to the committee that we consulted the Coroner, as we said we would, and received a response. I am not at liberty to discuss the response the Coroner has made but he raised a number of issues in relation to the bill and some other matters that he thinks the government should consider consistent with the opinion that was sought of this bill, but he also raised some other matters. The government is further considering what the Coroner had to say and we will come to a view about whether or not it will require a legislative response.

We continue to be of the view, in light of what the Coroner has had to say and our own consideration of the matter, that this is not the most appropriate bill to progress the issue of whether or not the Coroner requires an expanded power or whether other things might be required by legislation, so we will oppose the bill.

Clause passed.

Remaining clauses (2 and 3), schedule and title passed.

Bill reported without amendment.

Third Reading

Bill read a third time and passed.