Chief Coroner of New Zealand

The Chief Coroner of New Zealand is the most senior coroner in New Zealand, and supervises the work of other coroners in that jurisdiction. The post was created by the passing into law of the Coroners Act 2006, and the first Chief Coroner, Neil MacLean, was named in December 2006 and took up the role in February 2007.[1] The Coroners Act sets a statutory limit of 20 coroners; as of November 2022, there were 17 coroners based in nine centres, in addition to the Chief Coroner.[2]

## Office holders[edit]

Since 2007, three people have held the position of Chief Coroner. With some of their major inquests, they are:

| Name  | Portrait  | Term of office  | Notable inquests  | Sources

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Judge Neil MacLean |  | 2007–2015  | Pike River Mine disaster
Christchurch earthquakes | [3]
2  | Judge Deborah Marshall |  | 2015–2022  | Christchurch mosque shootings
2019 Whakaari / White Island eruption | [4]
3  | Judge Anna Tutton |  | 2022–present  |  | [5]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "First Chief Coroner appointed". New Zealand Government. 22 December 2006. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
2. ^ "Chief Coroner & coroners". Ministry of Justice. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
3. ^ "Queen's Birthday Honours 2015 – citation for Companion of the Queen's Service Order". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
4. ^ "Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall steps down after 7 years". The New Zealand Herald. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
5. ^ "New Chief Coroner appointed". New Zealand Government. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.