Mrs Kathleen Anne Conlan Coronial Inquest

Mr DARYL MAGUIRE (Wagga Wagga) [5.59 p.m.]: I refer to my previous private member's statement in this place regarding the death of Mrs Kathleen Conlan. At the conclusion of the Queensland inquest Coroner Jennifer Batts stated in her report that she was unable to make a formal finding as to the cause of death. The Queensland State Coroner has failed to honour his promise in his correspondence to keep Mr Conlan informed. On behalf of Mr Conlan I request that the Premier of Queensland, or her representative, obtain and forward a copy of the State Coroner's request to the Superintendent Police Coronial Support Unit to locate the very mysterious former Government Pathologist, Dr Levy, who performed the official autopsy on Mrs Conlan after she died in Gold Coast Hospital on 28 November 2003.

I request also that the Premier of Queensland forward a report from the Superintendent Police Coronial Support Unit, and not from the State Coroner, Michael Barnes, detailing exactly what the police have done both nationally and internationally in their efforts to locate this very mysterious doctor, explain the reason they have not been able to locate the doctor, provide details of what they intend to do to locate the doctor and inform how long the police consider they will need to locate this mysterious doctor who apparently has vanished. It has been 4½ years since Mrs Conlan's tragic death in Gold Coast Hospital and five months since my private member's statement in this House. I request that the Queensland Premier give this matter her most urgent attention.

Mr Conlan advises me that he is aware the Queensland police contacted its State Coroner's Office on 28 September 2007 and were advised this matter was finalised and no further action was recommended. Mr Conlan claims that the State Coroner's response to my private member's statement and his failure to honour the commitment to keep Mr Conlan informed confirms the incorrect advice given to police. This matter will never be finished until such time as the very serious matters arising from the circumstances surrounding Mrs Conlan's tragic death and resulting matters have been addressed properly and dealt with by the Queensland Government. A Tom Levy resided in Southport in 2003. My office carried out a quick search of the medical register, as did the Parliamentary Library at my request. The searches reveal that a Dr T. Levy resides in Southport. I question whether this is the same doctor who performed the medical autopsy and whom the police have been unable to find.

The Queensland Government Medical Officer was in charge of the autopsy. In my earlier presentation to this House I suggested that the Coroner could not determine a cause of death because she believed that the pathologist needed to testify, and she was advised that the authorities were unable to locate the doctor. As I said, a quick search of the Queensland medical register revealed the existence of such a doctor. I urge the Queensland Premier or those in authority responsible to respond to my statement in this House. It is important that this matter is resolved. It is important that the people I have just named respond to the serious claims being made and allow a cause of death to be delivered by the Queensland Coroner. Mr Conlon will then know that this process has been transparent and everybody involved has given their maximum effort to bring about closure to a very tragic set of circumstances.

QuestionThat private members' statements be notedput and resolved in the affirmative.

Private members' statements noted.