Coroners Act 2003

section 6 accessing a document includes getting a copy of the document.appointed coroner see section 83.ATSI family member, for a deceased person who was an Aboriginal person or Torres Strait Islander, means a person who is an appropriate person according to the tradition or custom of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community to which the deceased person belonged.attending doctor of a deceased person means a doctor who attended the deceased person professionally—

at or immediately before the deceased person’s death; or

during the deceased person’s last illness.

autopsy certificate means an autopsy certificate mentioned in section 24A(3)(a).sch 2 def autopsy certificate ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)autopsy notice means an autopsy notice mentioned in section 24A(2)(a).sch 2 def autopsy notice ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)autopsy report means a written report prepared by a doctor, including a preliminary report, to record information about the autopsy on a deceased person, including for example—

the results of any tests that were conducted as part of the autopsy; or

the cause of the person’s death.

board, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def board ins 2015 No. 18 s 6body means—

a human body; or

part of a human body.

burial includes cremation or other lawful disposal, either in Queensland or elsewhere.cause of death certificate means—

a cause of death certificate under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2023; or

a similar certificate issued under a law of another State or country that is similar in effect to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2023.

sch 2 def cause of death certificate amd 2003 No. 31 s 59 sch 1; 2023 No. 17 s 162chairperson, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def chairperson ins 2015 No. 18 s 6chief executive (child safety) means the chief executive of the department in which the Child Protection Act 1999 is administered.sch 2 def chief executive (child safety) ins 2004 No. 13 s 96 (1)child death research functions, for the family and child commissioner, means the commissioner’s functions under the Family and Child Commission Act 2014, part 3.sch 2 def child death research functions ins 2004 No. 13 s 96

amd 2010 No. 5 s 248 sch 3sub 2014 No. 27 s 52 sch 1 pt 2child in a placement with the consent of a parent or guardian...sch 2 def child in a placement with the consent of a parent or guardian ins 2004 No. 13 s 96

om 2005 No. 40 s 69 schchildren’s commissioner...sch 2 def children’s commissioner ins 2004 No. 13 s 96

om 2014 No. 27 s 52 sch 1 pt 2comment includes a recommendation.confidential document means a document containing, or the part of a document that contains, information obtained under any of the following provisions—

section 17;

the Child Protection Act 1999, section 159P;

the Public Health Act 2005, section 56 or 86.

sch 2 def confidential document sub 2004 No. 36 s 60amd 2005 No. 48 s 492 sch 1coroner means—

the State Coroner; or

a Deputy State Coroner; or

a local coroner; or

the Mining and Resources Coroner; or

an appointed coroner.

sch 2 def coroner amd 2025 No. 22 s 21(2)–(4)coronial document means a document prepared for an investigation, other than a record, or a copy of a record, of an inquest made under the Recording of Evidence Act 1962.

Examples—

• an autopsy certificate, autopsy notice or autopsy report

• a report from a police officer helping a coroner about the investigation into a reportable death

• a record of the coroner’s findings and comments

sch 2 def coronial document sub 2009 No. 32 s 60death in care see section 9.death in custody see section 10.de facto partner...sch 2 def de facto partner om 2003 No. 97 s 380 sch 1deputy chairperson, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def deputy chairperson ins 2015 No. 18 s 6deputy registrar means a person who holds an appointment as a deputy registrar under section 85.direction see section 14.document includes part of a document.domestic and family violence, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def domestic and family violence ins 2015 No. 18 s 6domestic and family violence death, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def domestic and family violence death ins 2015 No. 18 s 6exhume a body includes remove a body from a tomb.expert reports, for part 4A, see section 91G(2)(b).sch 2 def expert reports ins 2015 No. 18 s 6family and child commissioner means the principal commissioner under the Family and Child Commission Act 2014.sch 2 def family and child commissioner ins 2014 No. 27 s 52 sch 1 pt 2family member, of a deceased person, means—

if the coroner investigating the death becomes aware of a document satisfying the coroner that the deceased person’s wish would have been that a particular person be the deceased person’s family member for this Act—the particular person; orExample of document for paragraph (a)—an advance health directive under the Powers of Attorney Act 1998 appointing the particular person as the deceased person’s attorney

if paragraph (a) does not apply—

a spouse of the deceased person; or

if a spouse is not reasonably available—an adult child of the deceased person; or

if a spouse or adult child is not reasonably available—a parent of the deceased person; or

if a spouse, adult child or parent is not reasonably available—an adult sibling of the deceased person; or

if a spouse, adult child, parent or adult sibling is not reasonably available—an adult who, immediately before the deceased person’s death, had a relationship with the deceased person that the coroner investigating the death considers is sufficient for being a family member of the deceased person for this Act; or

if the deceased person was an Aboriginal person or Torres Strait Islander and a spouse, adult child, parent or adult sibling is not reasonably available—an ATSI family member.

sch 2 def family member sub 2009 No. 32 s 60government entity see the Public Sector Act 2022, section 276.sch 2 def government entity amd 2009 No. 25 s 83 sch; 2022 No. 34 s 365 sch 3guideline see section 14.health care related death see section 10AA.sch 2 def health care related death ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)health chief executive means the chief executive of the department in which the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 is administered.sch 2 def health chief executive amd 2005 No. 48 s 492 sch 1sub 2011 No. 32 s 332 sch 1 pt 2 (amd 2012 No. 9 s 47)health procedure...sch 2 def health procedure om 2025 No. 22 s 2 sch 1human body includes the body of a stillborn child.indigenous burial remains means—

Aboriginal human remains as defined in the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003; or

Torres Strait Islander human remains as defined in the Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Act 2003.

def indigenous burial remains sub 2009 No. 32 s 60inquest means a coronial inquest.investigation includes—

a preliminary examination; and

a preliminary investigation by a coroner to decide, for section 11(2)(a), whether a death is a reportable death; and

the holding of an inquest.

sch 2 def investigation sub 2009 No. 32 s 60amd 2020 No. 15 s 42(2)–(3)investigation document, for an investigation under this Act, means—

a confidential document; or

a coronial document; or

a police document; or

another document or part of a document connected to the investigation that the coroner obtains under this Act; or

a document connected to the investigation that is given, under the Child Protection Act 1999, section 246H, to the State Coroner for use by a coroner; or

a document connected to the investigation that is given, under the Ombudsman Act 2001, section 57A, to the State Coroner for use by a coroner.

sch 2 def investigation document amd 2004 No. 13 s 96 (2)local coroner see section 82.medical procedure means a diagnostic or surgical procedure.member, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def member ins 2015 No. 18 s 6mining related reportable death see section 11AAA(3).sch 2 def mining related reportable death ins 2025 No. 22 s 21(1)non-Queensland coroner, in relation to a death, means a person who holds a position equivalent to a coroner at the place where the death happened.non-Queensland coroner’s release certificate means a certificate that—

authorises the release of the body; and

is given by a non-Queensland coroner.

not reasonably available, in relation to a family member of a deceased person, means—

a family member of that particular type does not exist; or

the family member can not be reasonably contacted; or

the family member is unable or unwilling to act as a family member for this Act.

obstruct includes hinder, resist and attempt to obstruct.owns, in relation to a prescribed tissue bank, see the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979, section 42A(6).sch 2 def owns ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)police document means a document or part of a document prepared, or obtained, by a police officer for a police investigation of an offence that is related to a death being investigated by a coroner.possess a document includes have control of a document.pre-inquest conference means a conference mentioned in section 34.sch 2 def pre-inquest conference ins 2025 No. 22 s 2 sch 1preliminary examination see section 11AA.sch 2 def preliminary examination ins 2020 No. 15 s 42(1)prescribed tissue bank means a tissue bank prescribed under the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979.sch 2 def prescribed tissue bank ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)reasonably believes means believes on reasonable grounds.record made under the Recording of Evidence Act 1962 includes a transcription of the record made under that Act.registered NDIS provider see the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cwlth), section 9.sch 2 def registered NDIS provider ins 2019 No. 19 s 53registrar means a person who holds an appointment as a registrar under section 84.relevant relationship, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def relevant relationship ins 2015 No. 18 s 6reportable death see section 8.residential service see the Residential Services (Accreditation) Act 2002, section 4.sch 2 def residential service ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)section 7(4) report means a report given under section 7(4) by a police officer to a coroner.sch 2 def section 7(4) report ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)senior available next of kin see the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979, section 4(1).sch 2 def senior available next of kin ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)spouse...sch 2 def spouse om 2003 No. 97 s 380 sch 1State employee, for part 4A, see section 91B.sch 2 def State employee ins 2015 No. 18 s 6stillborn child means a stillborn child as defined in the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2023.sch 2 def stillborn child sub 2003 No. 31 s 59 sch 1amd 2023 No. 17 s 162tissue means—

an organ, blood or part of a body or fetus; or

a substance extracted from an organ, blood or part of a body or fetus.

tissue bank see the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979, section 42A(6).sch 2 def tissue bank ins 2009 No. 32 s 60 (2)