13Coroner’s jurisdiction in relation to deaths

13 Coroner’s jurisdiction in relation to deaths (1) A coroner must hold an inquest into the manner and cause of death of a person who— (a) dies violently, or unnaturally, in unknown circumstances; or (b) dies under suspicious circumstances; or (c) dies and the death appears to be completely or partly attributable to an operation or procedure; or (d) dies after having undergone an operation or procedure and in circumstances that, in the opinion of the Chief Coroner, should be better ascertained; or (e) dies and a doctor has not given a certificate about the cause of death; or (f) dies not having been attended by a doctor at any time within the period commencing 6 months before the death; or (g) dies after an accident where the cause of death appears to be directly attributable to the accident; or

Jurisdiction of coroners Part 3 Inquests into deaths Division 3.1 (h) dies, or is suspected to have died, in circumstances that, in the opinion of the Attorney-General, should be better ascertained; or (i) dies in care or custody. (2) However, subsection (1) (i) does not apply in relation to a person who has self-administered, or been administered, an approved substance in accordance with the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2024. (3) A coroner has jurisdiction to hold an inquest into the manner and cause of death, outside the ACT, of a person, if— (a) the person was ordinarily resident in the ACT; and (b) the death happened in any of the circumstances referred to in subsection (1). (4) A coroner has jurisdiction to hold an inquest even though— (a) the body of the deceased— (i) is not within the ACT; or (ii) has been destroyed; or (iii) is in a place from which it cannot be recovered; or (b) in the case of a suspected death—the body of the deceased cannot be found. (5) In this section: operation or procedure— (a) means— (i) an operation of a medical, surgical, dental or similar nature; or (ii) an invasive medical or diagnostic procedure; but

(b) does not include the administration of an approved substance by or to a person in accordance with the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2024. Note A coroner may, or may not, conduct a hearing into a death (see div 5.1 (Hearings)).