Tasmanian families push back against coroner's court they say deepened grief
Families in Tasmania say the coronial division treated them with contempt and deepened their trauma instead of investigating deaths properly.
Robert de Jong's 82-year-old father, Frank, died in June 2024 hours after discharge from Launceston General Hospital. De Jong believes the coroner failed to investigate properly and instead selected only certain evidence.
It relied on reports from the hospital itself. De Jong says the conclusion was decided before the inquiry started.
Other families report a similar pattern. They say the coronial division acts like a defensive bureaucracy.
It is not a compassionate system. A coronial liaison officer role was established in 2022 to support families.
This role has been vacant for a long time. De Jong is calling for an independent body to provide oversight.
He wants new laws to require coroners to genuinely consider what families submit. In May 2025, the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute announced a major review of the Coroners Act.
This review addresses rising caseloads and community concerns.
Why it mattersFamilies seeking answers about deaths report they face added trauma. The system they encounter lacks transparency, accountability and basic compassion.
AustraliaTasmania's coronial system is under scrutiny for inadequate investigation and poor treatment of grieving families, sparking a formal legal review.
Corroborated bytheadvocate.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 d ago
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