Cruel loophole for families of dead DV victims to close

Caitlin Thornton, a 21-year-old woman who died on International Women's Day in 2023, was denied burial for six weeks due to a cruel loophole. Her partner, who was also her abuser, was her next of kin. Thornton's mother, Kylie Bailey, spearheaded a campaign demanding change, amassing nearly 70,000 signatures. The government is now introducing reforms to the Coroners Act 2009, granting coroners the power to decide the most suitable next of kin.

This change recognizes the trauma and grief experienced by families, particularly in domestic violence cases, and allows for extended familial structures in various cultures. Attorney-General Michael Daley emphasized the importance of these changes in preserving dignity for victims and preventing disputes. The reforms come amid a surge in domestic violence-related murders in NSW, with 19 to 26 women and children killed annually since 2017.

Kylie Bailey argued that these amendments would benefit thousands of families facing grief at their most vulnerable.