Freckelton Ian
J Law Med. 2008 Dec;16(3):379-92.
In the 2007-2009 period an important new phase of coronial law reform has commenced. In 2007 New Zealand showed the way with the Coroners Act 2006 (NZ) coming into force with a broad approach to the role of coroners and an emphasis upon the obligations of coroners to be sensitive to familial and cultural needs. 2007 and 2008 also saw Bills for reform of coronial processes before the Irish, United Kingdom and Victorian parliaments. In 2008 the Goudge Inquiry into errors in paediatric pathology made recommendations for systemic reform of the coronial office and its administration and accountability in Ontario, Canada. In 2008 reviews of the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australian coroners legislation also commenced. This editorial identifies the main features of the reforms and proposed reforms starting in 2007, contextualising the initiatives from an international perspective, and isolating the core issues that confront those advancing proposals to modernise the institution of coronership. It calls for an internationally and empirically informed approach to legislative change in order to facilitate the avoidance of avoidable deaths and to enable clarification of the public record in relation to unclear circumstances and causation of death.
在2007年至2009年期间，死因裁判法改革进入了一个重要的新阶段。2007年，新西兰率先行动，《2006年死因裁判法》（新西兰）生效，该法对死因裁判官的角色采取了宽泛的界定方式，并强调死因裁判官有义务关注家庭和文化需求。2007年和2008年，爱尔兰、英国和维多利亚州议会也提出了改革死因裁判程序的法案。2008年，古奇对儿科病理学失误进行调查，就加拿大安大略省死因裁判办公室及其管理和问责制的系统性改革提出了建议。2008年，澳大利亚首都地区和西澳大利亚州也开始对死因裁判官立法进行审查。本社论确定了2007年开始的改革及拟议改革的主要特点，从国际视角对这些举措进行背景分析，并梳理出推进死因裁判制度现代化提议的各方所面临的核心问题。文章呼吁采取基于国际经验的方法进行立法变革，以避免可避免的死亡，并在死亡情况不明和死因不清时厘清公共记录。
