Hearing waits on Archer

ATTORNEY-General Elise Archer has the power to direct Tasmania’s Coronial Division to hold an inquest into the roadside death of Jari Wise, a court has heard.

Ms Archer has applied to intervene in a court challenge between Wise’s grieving mother, Faith Tkalac, and Coroner Simon Cooper, who declined her request for an inquest earlier this month.

On Tuesday, Supreme Court associate judge Stephen Holt said if Ms Archer agreed to Ms Tkalac’s request, there was no need for court action.

“Let’s hold off to see whether the Attorney-General wishes to oppose this application.”

Ms Archer previously advised Ms Tkalac she would intervene in the case as Mr Cooper would not take an active part in the proceedings.

She said she would adopt the empty opponent’s role, “not to oppose what you seek, but rather to assist the court in making its decision”.

Wise, 29, died in February last year when his on-again, off-again girlfriend Melissa Oates struck him with her car at Huonville.

The matter will return to court on September 14.