In all Australian states and territories, a healthcare professional responsible for a deceased person’s medical care immediately before death or who examined the deceased’s body must issue a cause of death certificate within 48 hours of the death or its discovery. However, a doctor must not issue a certificate if the death falls into a “reportable” death category.
There are certain deaths for which a coronial inquest must be held. This includes deaths in custody and deaths in care. For other deaths, whether an inquest is held or not, is at the coroner’s discretion.