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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-19 Daily Xml
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Bills

Coroners (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. C. BONAROS (16:54): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Coroners Act 2003. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. C. BONAROS (16:56): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The bill that I am seeking to introduce makes some simple but very overdue reforms to the Coroners Act. For the record, I have introduced the bill as early as possible to enable members to fully consider it over the coming winter break. In brief, what it seeks to do is clarify the jurisdiction of the Coroners Court; provide for legal representation for families of the person to whom the Coroner's proceedings relate and that the costs of those be provided by the Crown; separate legal professional privilege from privilege against self-incrimination and make new provisions for the court to issue a certificate providing indemnity from self-incrimination in certain circumstances; clarify the findings on inquest that the Coroners Court can make; and improve the accountability and transparency of government in respect to the recommendations made by the Coroner.

I will speak to the bill in further detail in due course, but, of course, in the meantime I welcome discussions with the government, the opposition and the crossbench in relation to the provisions of the bill. I think it is worth noting—and honourable members who have been here for some time will be familiar with some of the provisions of the bill, because they are not entirely new. Some are in line with recommendations that have been made by our now former coroner, Mark Johns, and others are provisions which have been debated time and again in this place and therefore have a long history in this place.

I do not intend to speak any further on the bill today, but, as I said, I welcome discussions with the government, the opposition and the crossbench before the conclusion of the coming winter break and will elaborate on the particular provisions of the bill in due course. With those words, I seek leave to conclude my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

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