❓ A parliamentary question addresses delays in coronial investigations of suicides due to resource limitations, seeking information on case age, body locations, completion timelines, and communication with families. The Minister acknowledges the delays and provides some information, but cannot give specific timeframes.
AnsweredQoN 262Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
STATE CORONER — SUICIDES
I refer to the article in The West Australian entitled “Coroner reveals toll of suicide” in which the coroner indicated that some 230 cases were still waiting to be allocated to officers because of limited resources within his office and the WA Police coronial investigation unit. (1) How old are the 230 cases still awaiting investigation? (2) Where are the 230 bodies presently located? (3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER
I refer to the article in The West Australian entitled “Coroner reveals toll of suicide” in which the coroner indicated that some 230 cases were still waiting to be allocated to officers because of limited resources within his office and the WA Police coronial investigation unit. (1) How old are the 230 cases still awaiting investigation? (2) Where are the 230 bodies presently located? (3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(1) How old are the 230 cases still awaiting investigation? (2) Where are the 230 bodies presently located? (3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(2) Where are the 230 bodies presently located? (3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(1) How old are the 230 cases still awaiting investigation? (2) Where are the 230 bodies presently located? (3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(2) Where are the 230 bodies presently located? (3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(3) What is the time frame for the completion of those 230 cases at the coronial investigation unit? (4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(4) Have the families been advised of the considerable delays in reaching a verdict because of a lack of funding? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(1) Currently, 261 files are allocated to the inquiry and 245 files are being held pending allocation. The oldest file is 12 months old. (2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(2) The majority of the bodies are released by the coroner to the next of kin. Occasionally the bodies are retained at the State Mortuary as no next of kin is available to release the bodies to. (3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(3) It is not possible to provide a time frame for the completion of the case files that are not currently allocated. The time frame for the completion of the case files may also be determined by the timeliness of relevant specialist medical reports. (4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
(4) The senior next of kin is advised by correspondence that the matter will be investigated by the coronial investigation unit and they are invited to provide further relevant information.
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