NRS-21074 | Westmead Coroners Court 1994 NSW Bushfire inquiry

Inquests and inquiries were currently held under the terms of the Coroners Act 1980. Under The Act, in addition to the power to hold inquests into deaths or suspected deaths, coroners are also empowered to inquire into fires and explosions.This series consists of records relating to the 1993/1994 NSW Bushfire Inquiry. From 27 December 1993 to 16 January 1994, a series of over 800 severe fires swept across the coastal and largely urban areas of New South Wales. The Inquiry was conducted from August 1994 to February 1996 and the report was handed down on 28 February 1996. The Inquiry conducted by the then Senior Deputy State Coroner John Hiatt and the result of which is known as the Hiatt Report (1996). The report made 125 findings and recommendations. (1)Included are exhibits (including videos and photographs) presented at the inquiry, transcripts of proceedings (including 2 computer disks containing transcripts), submissions and briefs of evidence.The videos (NRS-21074-4) and computer disks (NRS-21074-2) are available in digital format.Endnote1. Inquiry into the NSW Rural Fire Service, Parliamentary Paper No.358 (Report No.6), NSW Legislative Council, 23 June 2000, pp.4-5,8.目前，验尸及相关调查均依照《1980年验尸官法》（Coroners Act 1980）开展。根据该法规定，验尸官除有权对死亡或疑似死亡事件开展验尸调查外，还可对火灾与爆炸事故展开调查。本数据集系列包含与1993/1994年新南威尔士州（New South Wales, NSW）丛林大火调查相关的档案记录。1993年12月27日至1994年1月16日期间，超800场大规模林火席卷新南威尔士州沿海及主要城区。本次调查于1994年8月至1996年2月期间开展，最终调查报告于1996年2月28日正式公布。本次调查由时任州高级副验尸官约翰·海亚特（John Hiatt）主持，最终调查报告亦称《海亚特1996年报告》（Hiatt Report 1996）。该报告共提出125项调查结论与改进建议。本次归档档案包含调查过程中提交的各类证物（含视频与照片）、调查庭审笔录（含2张存储笔录的计算机磁盘）、各方意见书与证据摘要。其中编号为NRS-21074-4的视频档案与编号为NRS-21074-2的计算机磁盘均提供数字格式副本。注释1：《新南威尔士州农村消防局调查》，议会文件第358号（报告第6号），新南威尔士州立法委员会，2000年6月23日，第4-5、8页。