Royal Commission of Inquiry into Chamberlain Convictions

Finding out why a person has died, described in modern times as finding the ‘manner and cause’ of death has been the role of a coroner at least since the thirteenth century.

Their role has changed in the last century, with a greater focus on the growing relevance of death prevention and coronial recommendations. Governments have found this role particularly uncomfortable because it can expose obvious failures and require reform of systems.

This article provides an historical review of injustice in the Australian legal system.
Turner contends that there was a complex relationship between the government, the judiciary and the police that involved ‘an unacknowledged agreement’ where ‘law enforcement is based on violence [that] almost necessarily involves malpractice’ and ‘[y]et none of this can be admitted by Government or Bench, because to do so would be to undermine an institution on which the power of judges and politicians depends’. In the end, corruption provides the foundation for injustice to occur.