New inquest into Azaria Chamberlain death

Michael and Lindy Chamberlain leave a courthouse in Alice Springs, Australia in 1982. Photo / AP

A new inquest into the death of Azaria Chamberlain is expected to hear evidence of recent dingo attacks.

Coroner Elizabeth Morris will on Friday conduct the fourth inquest into the death of nine-week-old Azaria, who disappeared from her parents' tent at Uluru (Ayers Rock) in August 1980.

At Friday's hearing Rex Wild will act as counsel assisting the coroner while Stuart Tipple will represent Michael Chamberlain and his ex-wife, Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton.

Most of the evidence in the case will be in the form of written submissions, but a former police detective sergeant who was hired by the court to investigate the matter, Anne Lade, is expected to speak at the hearing.

Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton had sought the latest inquiry to try and officially have her daughter's cause of death changed from "unknown" to reflect that she was killed by a dingo.

The disappearance of Azaria sparked court cases that saw Mrs Chamberlain, as she was then known, sentenced to life in jail in 1982.

Mr Chamberlain was given a suspended sentence after being found guilty of being an accessory after the fact.

Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton always maintained that she saw a dingo leaving her tent on the night Azaria went missing.

After Azaria's matinee jacket was found in 1986 the case was reopened and a royal commission in 1987 exonerated both parents.

In 1988 the NT Court of Criminal Appeals overturned all convictions against the couple.

Despite the charges against the Chamberlains being dropped, a coronial inquest into the disappearance of Azaria in 1995 delivered an open verdict.

The latest inquest is expected to wrap up on Friday, but a decision from Ms Morris is not expected for some time.

-AAP