Coroners Act 2003

After a person’s death has been reported to a coroner under section 7, an examination for the deceased person’s body (a preliminary examination) may be performed under this section.

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to assist a coroner in the performance of the coroner’s functions under this Act relating to the person’s death.Example of a coroner’s function—deciding whether a death is a reportable death

The preliminary examination may include only the following procedures performed for the deceased person’s body, alone or in combination—

a visual examination of the body, including a dental examination;

the collection and review of relevant information, including personal and health information relating to the deceased person or the death of the person;

the taking, including by making an incision in the body, of samples of bodily fluid from the body, including blood, urine, saliva, mucus and vitreous humour samples, and the testing of those samples;

the imaging of the body, including the use of computed tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan), x-ray, ultrasound and photography;

the taking of samples from the surface of the body, including swabs from wounds and inner cheek, hair samples and samples from under fingernails and from the skin, and the testing of those samples;

the fingerprinting of the body.

A doctor who is listed in the guidelines as a doctor approved by the State Coroner to perform preliminary examinations (an examiner), or a suitably qualified person under the general supervision of an examiner, may perform the preliminary examination for the person’s body.Example of a suitably qualified person—a coronial nurse

Before the examiner, or a person supervised by the examiner, performs the preliminary examination for the person’s body, the examiner must, whenever practicable, consider at least the following—

that in some cases the person’s family may be distressed by the procedures to be performed in the examination, including, for example, because of cultural traditions or spiritual beliefs;

any concerns raised by a family member, or another person with a sufficient interest, in relation to the procedures to be performed for the examination.

As soon as practicable after the preliminary examination is completed, the examiner must—

prepare a preliminary examination report; and

give the report to a coroner.

In this section—preliminary examination report means a written report containing information about a preliminary examination performed for a deceased person, including, for example, information about the following—

the results of any procedures or tests that were performed as part of the preliminary examination;

the cause of the person’s death, if known.