Status Update – June 2006

Victoria - A successful pilot was held from December 2002 to May 2003, demonstrating the feasibility of the national form and that completion and distribution could occur in an electronic environment. As a result, Victoria Police have agreed to implement the national police form state-wide, and are currently in the final stages of IT development of the form (which will have macros to allow display of relevant form sections only) for electronic submission. It is expected that the new form, which will be completed online and electronically sent in a secure manner to the Victorian Coroners Office, should be implemented by the end of 2006.

ACT – ACT have implemented the national police form, having developed their own electronic version, with similar macros to the proposed Victorian form, however in a slightly different manner. This electronic version of the form has been in use in the ACT for a number of years.

Queensland – Queensland have implemented a static version of the national form from 1 December 2003, being a hard copy version of the form which can be filled in, and faxed to the QLD Coroners Office.

Northern Territory – The last information obtained regarding implementation was that a hard copy version of the national form had been implemented, but the standard fields had been divided across several various different forms, with a “core” reporting form, and other additional forms available for certain types of death. ACT has provided NT with a copy of their electronic form to assist NT to assess whether the implementation of an electronic national form could be achieved in NT using a similar framework.

New South Wales – NSW has received approval to pilot implementation of the national police form which would be accessed and completed on the police intranet, and securely transferred to the NSW Coroners Office and the NCIS. 3 police stations have agreed to take part in the pilot, which is expected to commence sometime later in 2006.

South Australia – South Australia is now using an electronic version of the national form for all external cause deaths, being a Word version of the form which can be filled in, saved and then emailed to the South Australian Coroners Office.

Tasmania – Tasmania is currently using an electronic version of the National form, being a Word version of the form which can be filled in, saved and then emailed to the Tasmanian Coroners Office.

Western Australia – The State Coroner was awaiting the results of the pilot in Victoria before determining whether he would recommend the implementation of the national police form to the WA Police Commissioner. No further action concerning adoption of the national form from the WA Coroners Office is known to have been made.