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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-03 Daily Xml
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HEATWAVE DEATHS

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:25): Will the Attorney-General be directing and/or referring to the Coroner the investigation of all the sudden deaths, to be dealt with as a single issue, which have occurred during the recent heatwave; and will his office be providing adequate resources for that to occur? The Attorney-General told the media yesterday that he would be referring the unusual deaths to the Coroner—there are some 75 of them. Section 21 of the Coroners Act provides for the referral of deaths that are unexpected, unnatural, unusual, violent or of unknown cause to the Coroner and, indeed, gives the power to direct the Coroner to undertake those investigations but also provides that an inquest be held to ascertain the cause or circumstance of more than one event.

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON (Croydon—Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:26): We have an outstanding Coroner in South Australia. His appointment was criticised roundly by the opposition. He was vilified by the opposition in his previous vocation. I believe he is a first-class judicial officer and he will act in accordance with the Coroners Act. With the direction that parliament has given to him, he will act according to law. As I understand it, he has already approached the Minister for Health's department for the information he requires.

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