❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Attorney General regarding the handling of 28 cases of babies who survived abortion but subsequently died, specifically concerning their status within the Coroner's Court backlog and prioritisation.
AnsweredQoN 1552Legislative Council
Asked
29 November 2023
Member
Portfolio
parliamentary secretary representing the Attorney General
QuestionView source ↗
STANDING COMMITTEE ON
ESTIMATES AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS — CONSIDERATION OF THE 2022–23
ANNUAL REPORTS — SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS
1552. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the Attorney General's
answers to supplementary questions provided to the Standing Committee on
Estimates and Financial Operations during its current inquiry into the 2022–23
annual reports.
(1) Does the
Attorney General recall informing the committee that the 28 cases of babies who
survived an abortion but subsequently died are part of 1 120 backlog cases and
are specifically categorised as cases pending analysis?
(2) Does the
Attorney General recall informing the committee that these cases are not being
expedited by the Coroner's Court?
(3) Is the
Attorney General aware that the previous annual report stated —
The backlog cases are determined by
reference to the date that a reportable death is reported to the coroner. When
the date of that report is more than 12 months old, that case enters into
backlog and becomes a priority.
(4) Have any of
these 28 cases been assigned to a coroner or do they all rest within the
responsibility of the State Coroner?
(5) What is the
age of the oldest of these 28 reportable deaths that allegedly remain ''a
priority'' in the backlog, yet inexplicably are not being expedited?
ESTIMATES AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS — CONSIDERATION OF THE 2022–23
ANNUAL REPORTS — SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS
1552. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the Attorney General's
answers to supplementary questions provided to the Standing Committee on
Estimates and Financial Operations during its current inquiry into the 2022–23
annual reports.
(1) Does the
Attorney General recall informing the committee that the 28 cases of babies who
survived an abortion but subsequently died are part of 1 120 backlog cases and
are specifically categorised as cases pending analysis?
(2) Does the
Attorney General recall informing the committee that these cases are not being
expedited by the Coroner's Court?
(3) Is the
Attorney General aware that the previous annual report stated —
The backlog cases are determined by
reference to the date that a reportable death is reported to the coroner. When
the date of that report is more than 12 months old, that case enters into
backlog and becomes a priority.
(4) Have any of
these 28 cases been assigned to a coroner or do they all rest within the
responsibility of the State Coroner?
(5) What is the
age of the oldest of these 28 reportable deaths that allegedly remain ''a
priority'' in the backlog, yet inexplicably are not being expedited?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for some notice of the question. The following answer has been
provided to me by the Attorney General.
(1)–(3) Yes.
(4) They all rest within the
responsibility of the State Coroner.
(5) It is 55 months.
thank the member for some notice of the question. The following answer has been
provided to me by the Attorney General.
(1)–(3) Yes.
(4) They all rest within the
responsibility of the State Coroner.
(5) It is 55 months.
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