WA opposition moves to give attorney general power to order Hawke children inquest

Why This Matters

• The amendment will test whether the Cook government's legal objections to an inquest are genuine constraints or a choice.
• The Hawke children's deaths have raised questions about how warnings to Pilbara child protection workers were handled before the killings.
• An inquest could establish the circumstances of the deaths in a public forum and produce recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies.

Background

Coronial inquests are formal court hearings into the circumstances of a death, held to establish how someone died and to make recommendations that could prevent future deaths. They are separate from criminal proceedings. In Western Australia, the Coroners Act limits the attorney general's power to direct an inquest after a request has been refused to cases where fresh evidence has emerged, the constraint the government has cited. The 2022 deaths of the Hawke children, and the refusal of an inquest in 2025, have drawn sustained attention to child protection practices in the Pilbara region.

Key Perspectives

Opposition: Shadow attorney general Nick Goiran wants the attorney general to hold unambiguous power to direct the coroner's office to begin an inquest, and his amendment would create that power. Government: Attorney General Tony Buti and Premier Roger Cook say the current act leaves them unable to act unless fresh evidence emerges after a request has been denied. Family and critics: The children's grandmother, Dorothy Papertalk, has urged an inquest, and the case has regained prominence following reports that warnings to child protection workers were not acted on.

What to Watch

• The introduction of the amendment in parliament on Thursday and whether the government signals support or opposition.
• Whether the attorney general identifies fresh evidence that would allow an inquest under the existing law.
• The findings of the separate child protection probe in South Hedland.