Wilkinson Kate: Coroners Bill — In Committee 
Wilkinson Kate: Coroners Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:633;Page:4711] 
KATE WILKINSON (National) 
: 
 In speaking to this bill it is interesting to refer to some criticisms of the United Kingdom coronial system because some of those criticisms are certainly relevant in New Zealand. The criticisms include the fact that families frequently are overlooked during the inquest process there is nowhere for them to turn when they think something is going wrong and there is no complaints system. The system is fragmented and there is no national leadership. The system is not accountable. The standards are not uniformly good and they rest too much on the personal qualities and abilities of individuals. For most coroners their coronial work is not even their principal occupation. Most coroners have to learn on the job as they handle the most technically complex and personally difficult cases with no training. 
That is the case in the United Kingdom and to a certain extent that is also what happens in New Zealand. The coronial system must serve the public interest and the bereaved families’ concerns and justice must be served with sensitivity transparency accountability and all due speed. It is certainly hoped by now having a dedicated and professional body of coroners that grieving families’ need for sensitivity and the emotional needs of bereaved people will be met by this bill and by the overhaul of our coronial system. 
 Having said that this bill is far from perfect. Some of its deficiencies and National’s concerns have been considered in the Committee stage—without I might add any rebuttal or debate whatsoever from Government members. There was some comment at times from the Minister but it certainly did not at all address those deficiencies or concerns. 
We currently have a coronial system of some 60 part-time coroners some of whom have legal qualifications some of whom do not. Those with legal qualifications will be able to apply to be full-time coroners under this new regime; some will want to some will not. Those who do not have 5 years’ experience as a barrister and solicitor even though they may have been excellent coroners for 20 years will have no choice without those legal qualifications and their function as coroners will be extinguished and gone. 
It is laudable to have a dedicated and professional body of coroners with national leadership by the chief coroner. What is not laudable is to abandon and dump without recognition conscience and compensation those many hard-working experienced part-time coroners who have spent countless hours in the service of our community. Their experience is wasted their knowledge is wasted they are no longer valued and they are no longer wanted. This issue is particularly relevant in some of our rural areas: the West Coast of the South Island and the east coast of the North Island for example and areas like Ruatoria Motueka Kaikohe and Gisborne. These are unique rural and regional areas with their own characteristics. At the moment they are very well served by part-time dedicated local coroners armed with local knowledge knowledge of the people knowledge of the area and knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the region. Under this bill those part-time dedicated local coroners will be gone and replaced by a roaming coroner who is perhaps lacking in that vital local knowledge and local sensitivity. I fear that many of our rural and provincial areas will suffer by the passing of this bill. Is that fair? Is it reasonable? Are these concerns even considered or listened to by this Government? Regrettably I would have to say no. 
It would not be too difficult to include in the transitional provisions the ability for existing part-time coroners albeit without legal qualifications to continue as usual until their retirement. I understand that the age of retirement in the bill is 68. This is a somewhat arbitrary figure but an age limit no less. There could certainly and easily be a phase-in period and everyone would win. But no this Government has no concern for provincial New Zealand and for what is in the best interest of provincial New Zealand. What is so wrong with allowing our existing talented experienced dedicated non-legal coroners to continue to contribute benefit and give value to our coronial system? All our existing part-time coroners will be dumped. They will receive no money no compensation no redundancy and probably no thanks.