New Zealand Legislation: Acts

23 Coroner must give family representative, immediate family, and certain others notice of significant matters

• (1) A coroner to whom a death has been reported under section 15(2)(a) or section 16(2)(b) must take all reasonable steps to give the following notice, as soon as practicable, of significant matters in the carrying out of the duties and processes required by law to be performed or followed in relation to the death:

  • (a) any representatives recognised under section 22 of the immediate family of the person who is, or of a person who is suspected to be, the dead person concerned:

  • (b) every member of the immediate family of that person (being a member of that immediate family who has asked to be notified of matters under this section, and has given the coroner contact details for that purpose, because his or her interests are not represented by a representative recognised under section 22):

  • (c) any other people or organisations the coroner considers have an interest in the death apart from any interest in common with the public, and whose contact details are available to the coroner.

  (2) A failure to comply with this section or section 50(1)(b) (which relates to family, etc, being notified of the retention, and of the right to request the return, of retained body parts or bodily samples) does not affect the validity of any action taken by or on behalf of the coroner.

  Compare: 1988 No 111 s 11(1)