❓ Hon. Tjorn Sibma asks about the caseload backlog at the Office of the State Coroner, including the number of cases, their age, and the reasons for delays. The Parliamentary Secretary provides detailed figures and outlines ongoing efforts to address the backlog.
AnsweredQoN 237Legislative Council
Asked
16 March 2023
Member
Portfolio
parliamentary secretary representing the Attorney General
QuestionView source ↗
OFFICE OF THE STATE
CORONER — CASELOAD
237. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General:
Thank you, President. I suspect
there is an adviser somewhere in the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development who has been waiting their entire career to answer just
that question!
My question without notice is
question 221 of Tuesday, 14 March, to I presume the Parliamentary Secretary to
the Minister for Regional Development representing the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General.
Hon Kyle McGinn interjected.
Hon TJORN SIBMA : Come in,
spinner! It is question 221.
Hon Kyle McGinn : Got it!
Hon TJORN SIBMA : The
question is regarding the operations at the Office of the State Coroner.
(1) How many backlog cases are
there presently?
(2) Of this number in (1), how many
are —
(a) backlog inquest cases;
(b) cases awaiting the completion of
tasks by external entities; and
(c) cases pending analysis at the
Coroner's Court before finalisation?
(3) Of the total number of backlog
cases, how many files are —
(a) up to and including 12 months
old;
(b) between 12 and 24 months old;
(c) between 24 and 36 months old; and
(d) older than 36 months?
CORONER — CASELOAD
237. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General:
Thank you, President. I suspect
there is an adviser somewhere in the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development who has been waiting their entire career to answer just
that question!
My question without notice is
question 221 of Tuesday, 14 March, to I presume the Parliamentary Secretary to
the Minister for Regional Development representing the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General.
Hon Kyle McGinn interjected.
Hon TJORN SIBMA : Come in,
spinner! It is question 221.
Hon Kyle McGinn : Got it!
Hon TJORN SIBMA : The
question is regarding the operations at the Office of the State Coroner.
(1) How many backlog cases are
there presently?
(2) Of this number in (1), how many
are —
(a) backlog inquest cases;
(b) cases awaiting the completion of
tasks by external entities; and
(c) cases pending analysis at the
Coroner's Court before finalisation?
(3) Of the total number of backlog
cases, how many files are —
(a) up to and including 12 months
old;
(b) between 12 and 24 months old;
(c) between 24 and 36 months old; and
(d) older than 36 months?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of
the question. I answer on behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing
the Attorney General. The following answer has been provided to me by the
Attorney General.
(1) It is 1 145.
(2) It is —
(a) 59;
(b) 808; and
(c) 278.
(3) (a) Cases
up to 12 months are not backlog cases.
(b) It is 848.
(c) It is 182. This is a count of
cases between 25 months and 36 months inclusive.
(d) It is 115. This is a count of
cases that are 37 months and older.
The Office of the State Coroner
continues to liaise closely and productively with external entities, including
the Western Australia Police Force and the
State Mortuary, with a view to identifying cases requiring progression. A number of coroner's investigators have been appointed to work with the
WA police to assist with the preparation of
police reports to the coroner. The Western Australia Police Force has allocated
additional resources to support the concentrated review and progression of over
400 fast-tracked investigations between November and December 2022, whilst
maintaining the ongoing work. Within the Coroner's Court, ongoing and
active reviews are also maintained in
respect of backlog files for which the court is responsible, being the matters
when external entities have completed their functions. The Department of
Justice continues to review the resources of the Coroner's Court.
the question. I answer on behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing
the Attorney General. The following answer has been provided to me by the
Attorney General.
(1) It is 1 145.
(2) It is —
(a) 59;
(b) 808; and
(c) 278.
(3) (a) Cases
up to 12 months are not backlog cases.
(b) It is 848.
(c) It is 182. This is a count of
cases between 25 months and 36 months inclusive.
(d) It is 115. This is a count of
cases that are 37 months and older.
The Office of the State Coroner
continues to liaise closely and productively with external entities, including
the Western Australia Police Force and the
State Mortuary, with a view to identifying cases requiring progression. A number of coroner's investigators have been appointed to work with the
WA police to assist with the preparation of
police reports to the coroner. The Western Australia Police Force has allocated
additional resources to support the concentrated review and progression of over
400 fast-tracked investigations between November and December 2022, whilst
maintaining the ongoing work. Within the Coroner's Court, ongoing and
active reviews are also maintained in
respect of backlog files for which the court is responsible, being the matters
when external entities have completed their functions. The Department of
Justice continues to review the resources of the Coroner's Court.
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