Six-year wait for month’s work
After six years of waiting for the Coroners Court to investigate her husband Richard’s death, Judy Jeffery complained publicly. Within a month, the findings landed in her inbox.
The 10-page report will allow her to finally scatter the Hawke’s Bay mechanic’s ashes at a beloved beach of his childhood.
But it’s left her with questions, both about his death, and the Coroners Court process.
Jeffery was one of 3570 grieving families who, by the end of December, had waited more than 12 months for answers about their loved one’s death.
After multiple “fob-offs”, she complained to Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton. Richard’s case was then transferred to another coroner – her fourth.
Less than a month after complaining –and just two weeks after her story appeared in The Post – she received the long-awaited report.
The coroner found Richard died by suicide and acknowledged his stress at work. But Jeffery says the findings contain no recommendations.
“It’s not told me anything I didn’t know. Essentially, in my mind, the delay has made it worthless.”
Had the process started earlier, Jeffery would have requested an inquest to investigate further. But the six-year delay would have eroded memories, making it pointless.
While she is “exceedingly grateful” to have the findings, she believes she would still be waiting had she not complained.
“It’s a little bit disappointing. It’s the squeaky wheel. There’s all these other people that have been waiting nearly as long or longer than me and they still haven’t got their coroner’s reports.”
Despite increased resources, Coroners Court waiting times continue to blow out. In 2023, the average time to close a coroner’s case needing an inquiry was 1024 days – a 77% increase from the 579 days it took in 2018.
The number of coroners has more than doubled, from 18 in 2018 to 37 now.
The court has said it was too early to measure their impact, but the extra staff were freeing up existing coroners to focus on complex cases, by taking on the 24/7 duty coroner role.
Jeffery also questioned the inconsistency of delays.
Of the coroners’ reports released from
January to April 2024, 25 of the 29 deaths were more recent than Richard’s.
The earliest death was in November 2013; the most recent was from January 2023.
Asked how older cases were prioritised, the court provided no evidence of any system.
They said the circumstances of some deaths took longer to investigate and some inquiries were delayed by other investigations.
Neither issue was relevant in Richard’s case.
Some time this month, Richard’s ashes will leave Jeffery’s lounge.
“His final wish can be finally adhered to. It means he can be at peace, rather than stuck in a horrible wooden box.
“And then I’m not looking over my shoulder all the time, going ‘Where’s the report? What’s next?’ There is no what’s next.”