Coroners Amendment Bill

  • enacted

Hon Amy Adams

Coroners Amendment Bill

Government Bill

239—3

Contents

Key
1Title
2Commencement
3Principal Act
4Section 3 amended (Purpose of this Act)
5Section 4 amended (Coroner’s role)
6Section 7 replaced (Chief coroner’s functions)
7Chief coroner’s functions
7Section 9 amended (Interpretation)
8Section 10 amended (Coroner defined)
8ANew section 12A inserted (Transitional and savings provisions relating to amendments to this Act)
12ATransitional and savings provisions relating to amendments to this Act
9Sections 13 and 14 replaced
13Duty to report deaths
14Deaths that must be reported under section 13(2)
10Section 15 replaced (Reporting of deaths to coroner by police)
15Reporting of deaths to coroner by police
11Section 16 replaced (Chief coroner to designate replacement designated coroner or report death to original designated coroner)
16Responsible coroner
12Section 17 amended (Investigations by police)
13Section 18 replaced (When police have exclusive right to custody of body)
18When New Zealand Police has exclusive right to custody of body
14Section 19 replaced (When designated coroner has exclusive right to custody of body)
19When responsible coroner has exclusive right to custody of body
19APolice responsible for co-ordinating extraction of body
14ANew section 21A and cross-heading inserted
21ACoroner may direct preliminary inspection
15Section 22 amended (Representative for liaison with immediate family)
16Sections 23 and 24 replaced
23Coroner must give interested parties notice of significant matters
24Significant matters referred to in section 23(1)
17Section 25 amended (Viewing, touching, or remaining with or near body in coroner’s custody)
18Section 27 amended (Family may request pathologist’s report on post-mortem)
18ASection 28 amended (Any person may access specified certificates and notices)
19Section 31 amended (Coroner may direct post-mortem)
20Section 36 amended (Nature of post-mortem)
21Section 38 amended (Who may attend post-mortem)
21ASection 39 amended (Definitions for section 38)
22Section 40 amended (Coroner may require person’s doctor to report)
23Section 41 amended (High Court may order post-mortem in certain circumstances)
24Section 42 amended (Release of bodies)
24ASection 43 amended (Restriction on release if no post-mortem directed)
25Section 46 amended (Costs of transporting body moved for post-mortem, etc)
26Section 48 amended (Retention of parts and samples on release of body)
27Section 50 replaced (Coroner must notify family, etc, of retention, and of right to request return, of retained parts and samples)
50Coroner must notify immediate family of retention, and of right to request return, of parts and samples
27ASection 54 amended (Restrictions on return and disposal)
28Section 55 amended (Return on request of retained parts and samples)
29Section 57 amended (Purposes of inquiries)
30New sections 57A and 57B inserted
57ARecommendations or comments by coroners
57BCoroner must consult certain persons or organisations on recommendations or comments
31Section 58 amended (Adverse comments by coroners)
32Section 59 replaced (Jurisdiction of coroners to open inquiries)
59Jurisdiction of coroners to open inquiries
59ALimits on coroners’ jurisdiction to open inquiries
33Section 60 replaced (Deaths into which inquiries must be opened)
60Deaths into which inquiries must be opened
34Section 61 repealed (Deaths where coroner may decide not to open inquiries)
34ASection 62 amended (Other deaths)
34BSection 64 amended (Duties of coroner who decides not to open inquiry)
35Section 66 repealed (Which coroner conducts inquiry)
36Section 68 amended (Procedure if person charged with offence)
37Section 69 amended (Procedure if some other investigation to be conducted)
38Sections 70 and 71 replaced
70Coroner may decide not to open or resume postponed or adjourned inquiry
71Restrictions on making public details of self-inflicted deaths
71AChief coroner may grant exemption from restrictions in section 71
39Section 75 amended (Review of coroner’s decision as to making public of details, evidence, etc)
40Section 77 replaced (Hearings on papers and chambers findings)
77Hearings on papers and chambers findings
41Section 80 replaced (Decision to hold inquest)
80Decision to hold inquest
42Section 81 amended (Date, etc, and notice of inquest)
43Section 89 amended (Others who may cross-examine at inquest)
44Section 92 replaced (Body must be viewed before certain inquiries concluded)
92Body must be viewed before certain inquiries concluded
45Section 94 amended (Certificate of and written reasons for findings)
46New sections 94A and 94B inserted
94AChief coroner to monitor inquiries not completed within 1 year
94BChief coroner to publish information regarding certain inquiries for which findings not completed
46ASection 95 amended (Inquiry if coroner has failed or refused to open one)
47Section 103 amended (Coroners)
48Section 104 amended (Relief coroners)
49New section 105A inserted (Deputy chief coroner)
105ADeputy chief coroner
50New section 106A inserted (Attorney-General to publish information concerning coronial appointment process)
106AAttorney-General to publish information concerning coronial appointment process
51Section 107 replaced (Concurrent office or employment)
107Concurrent office or employment
107ARecusal
52New section 116A inserted (Establishment and constitution of suicide and media expert panel)
116AEstablishment and constitution of suicide and media expert panel
52ASection 122 amended (Warrant for information, document, or other thing)
53Section 123 amended (Entry and search under warrant under section 122)
53ASection 124 amended (Duties when executing warrant under section 122)
53BSection 128 amended (Warrant for removal of body)
53CSection 129 amended (Entry and search under warrant under section 128)
53DSection 130 amended (Warrant under section 128 to be produced)
53ESection 131 amended (Power to seize evidence relevant to post-mortem)
54Section 132 amended (Chief coroner may issue practice notes)
55Section 133 replaced (Chief coroner must designate coroners for specified deaths)
133Chief coroner must designate coroners for specified kinds of deaths
133AAppointment of responsible or replacement coroner
56Section 139 replaced (Publication of information in contravention of section 71 or prohibition under section 74)
139Publication of information in contravention of section 71
139APublication of information in contravention of section 74
56ASections 141 and 142 repealed
56BNew section 143A inserted (Transitional and savings provisions: arrangements effective on and after 1 July 2016 after commencement of Coroners Amendment Act 2014 are in Schedule 1)
143ATransitional and savings provisions: arrangements effective on and after 1 July 2016 after commencement of Coroners Amendment Act 2014 are in Schedule 1
56CSchedules 1 and 2 replaced
57Consequential amendments
Legislative history

The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows: