An urgent and sweeping review of the procedures covering the appointment and practices of coroners has been called for in a report issued yesterday by the Law Commission.
The commission made 70 recommendations after finding there were inadequate procedures to appoint coroners, inconsistent practices throughout New Zealand, insufficient training and there being little or no regard taken of various cultural values and beliefs, particularly those of Maori.
It said the present regime was haphazard, with no centralised recording system that would allow patterns of sudden deaths to be identified. A chief coroner was needed to liaise with the Government and public, oversee recommendations arising from inquests and their fundamental causes and consider whether additional inquiries were required.
To ease concerns about a lack of cultural sensitivity to Maori, the commission recommended more Maori coroners be appointed, and the Coroners Act amended to take account of Maori belief that a dead person must not lie alone between the time of death and burial.
Each office should have a coordinator to liaise with local iwi and other Maori, cultural and religious groups.
"It is apparent that many of the difficulties with the present system are caused by communication breakdowns," the commission said.
Coroners were also urged to take a much broader perspective by not focusing exclusively on the immediate cause of death.
With a few exceptions, notably the Invercargill coroner's report into the deaths of five people after a plane ditched in Foveaux Strait in August 1998, deaths tended to be considered in isolation.
The commission was extremely troubled to learn from coroners that they felt undervalued by the justice system.
"It became clear [from consultation] that coroners are attempting to fulfil a critical role in preventing future unnecessary deaths, meet the individual needs of families, obtain the confidence of the public, and manage an increasing workload without the necessary systems and facilities in place to support their role."
The commission said all coroners it spoke to considered they were poorly paid.
Wellington coroner Garry Evans told last year's national coroners' conference that the legal firms in which most coroners were senior partners effectively subsidised the state.
The commission recommended that the Higher Salaries Commission fix coroners' pay, with administrative services provided.
- NZPA
Coroner appointments 'haphazard'
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