The Minns Labor Government will introduce reforms to better support grieving families through the coronial process with important changes to how senior next of kin are appointed.

Legislation will be introduced to Parliament on Thursday following a statutory review of the Coroners Act 2009 and concerns raised about how senior next of kin are appointed to represent families during the coronial process.

The reforms give coroners discretion and flexibility to determine the most appropriate senior next of kin. Coroners are currently restricted to a fixed hierarchy of the deceased person’s spouse, adult children, parents, siblings or executor or legal representatives.

Coroners will be able to appoint an alternative person if the statutory senior next of kin is not appropriate including where there are concerns about family and domestic violence or estrangement.

This will help prevent or resolve disputes after someone has died. Anyone with sufficient connection to the person can nominate themselves for consideration and coroners will be required to decide competing claims.

The changes regarding senior next of kin appointments will also recognise extended familial or kinship structures among different cultures such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The reforms respond to eight recommendations of the Statutory Review of the Coroners Act 2009. They are also informed by the advocacy of Kylie Bailey following the 2023 death of her daughter Caitlin Thornton and Nicole Barry whose sister Megan Best died in 2025.

The Government plans to begin public consultation on a broader package of coronial reforms by early next year to address the statutory review’s remaining recommendations.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“The Government has listened to genuine concerns raised by families about senior next of kin appointments and we are acting.

“In particular, I want to thank Kylie Bailey and Nicole Barry for their powerful advocacy and express my sincere condolences for the deaths of their loved ones.

“Senior next of kin play a vital role in representing families during the coronial process. We’re giving coroners the ability to pick the most appropriate person based on each family’s circumstances.”

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

“These are commonsense reforms that grieving families have called for.

“In cases of domestic and family violence, the current system puts families through more anguish, having the perpetrator considered the legal next of kin.

“Thank you to Kylie Bailey for her strong advocacy. This is another way this government is closing gaps in the law to strengthen protections for victim-survivors and their families.”