❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Attorney General regarding the death in custody of Julieka Ivanna Dhu, specifically concerning the provision of information to next of kin and the presence of police at the post-mortem examination. The Attorney General provides answers detailing the procedures followed.
AnsweredQoN 901Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
JULIEKA
IVANNA DHU
901. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Attorney General:
I refer to the death of Julieka Ivanna Dhu in custody at
South Hedland on 4 August 2014 and the examination of the body at approximately
0945 hours on the morning of 7 August 2014 at the state mortuary, Perth. I
refer also to correspondence 11020/4 issued on 21 August 2014 by the coroner's
delegate in Port Hedland, and to sections 20(1)(a)–(f), 35 and 37(5) of
the Coroners Act 1996.
(1) Were any
of the deceased person's next of kin provided with the information set
out in section 20(1)(a)–(f)?
(2) If yes to
(1), to whom was that information provided, and by what method?
(3) If no to
(l), why not?
(4) Did the
senior next of kin of the deceased, or any next of kin of the deceased, ask the
coroner to allow a doctor or themselves to be present at the post mortem
examination?
(5) If no to
(4), why not?
(6) Why were
six police officers the only people present during the examination of the body,
and in what capacity did they attend?
IVANNA DHU
901. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Attorney General:
I refer to the death of Julieka Ivanna Dhu in custody at
South Hedland on 4 August 2014 and the examination of the body at approximately
0945 hours on the morning of 7 August 2014 at the state mortuary, Perth. I
refer also to correspondence 11020/4 issued on 21 August 2014 by the coroner's
delegate in Port Hedland, and to sections 20(1)(a)–(f), 35 and 37(5) of
the Coroners Act 1996.
(1) Were any
of the deceased person's next of kin provided with the information set
out in section 20(1)(a)–(f)?
(2) If yes to
(1), to whom was that information provided, and by what method?
(3) If no to
(l), why not?
(4) Did the
senior next of kin of the deceased, or any next of kin of the deceased, ask the
coroner to allow a doctor or themselves to be present at the post mortem
examination?
(5) If no to
(4), why not?
(6) Why were
six police officers the only people present during the examination of the body,
and in what capacity did they attend?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
information was provided to the deceased's father. A coroner's
brochure titled ''When a Person Dies Suddenly'' was served
personally by WA Police. The coroner's brochure provides details about
the coronial process, together with information in relation to section 20(l)(a)–(f)
of the Coroner's Act 1996.
(3) Not
applicable.
(4) No. Pursuant
to section 35 of the Coroner's Act 1996, an independent doctor may be
present at the post-mortem examination on the request of the senior next of
kin. However, there is no provision under the Coroner's Act 1996 to
allow family members to be present.
(5) Please refer
to (4). I might add that it is not possible for me to say why someone did not
ask for a doctor or themselves to be present.
(6) It is
standard procedure for WA Police to attend deaths of this nature. Of the six
police officers who attended, three were forensic officers, one to take
photographs, one to take exhibits, and one to act as scribe; two were major
crime detectives, one a detective sergeant and the other a detective trainee;
and one was an officer from the internal affairs unit.
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
information was provided to the deceased's father. A coroner's
brochure titled ''When a Person Dies Suddenly'' was served
personally by WA Police. The coroner's brochure provides details about
the coronial process, together with information in relation to section 20(l)(a)–(f)
of the Coroner's Act 1996.
(3) Not
applicable.
(4) No. Pursuant
to section 35 of the Coroner's Act 1996, an independent doctor may be
present at the post-mortem examination on the request of the senior next of
kin. However, there is no provision under the Coroner's Act 1996 to
allow family members to be present.
(5) Please refer
to (4). I might add that it is not possible for me to say why someone did not
ask for a doctor or themselves to be present.
(6) It is
standard procedure for WA Police to attend deaths of this nature. Of the six
police officers who attended, three were forensic officers, one to take
photographs, one to take exhibits, and one to act as scribe; two were major
crime detectives, one a detective sergeant and the other a detective trainee;
and one was an officer from the internal affairs unit.
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