Rebalancing open‐ness – an ethical analysis of publishing coroners’ reports online in Aotearoa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12494669 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Helen Deuchar (School of Population Health Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences The University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand), Donna Cormack (0000-0003-2854-3595, Te Kupenga Hauora Māori Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences The University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand, corresponding author), Monique Jonas (0000-0002-4660-1667, School of Population Health Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences The University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 897-916 |
| Publication date | 2025-02-19 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Kōtuitui New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1177-083X • E-ISSN: 1177-083X |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/1177083x.2025.2455172 |
| OpenAlex | W4407731444 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 21 |
In line with the move towards increasing data openness in Aotearoa, the Coronial Services of New Zealand have published 20 complete coroners’ reports online, containing sensitive and identifying information. This paper considers the ethical issues that online publication of coroners’ reports raises. We identify five overarching categories of information contained within the published coroners’ reports: Individual, Case, Relational, Contextual and Derived Information. Drawing upon decolonial theories, we situate their publication within data practices of settler colonialism, and construct a potential case for publishing complete reports, grounded in foundational values underpinning the coronial system in Aotearoa, including notions of open justice, the public interest, and open government. However, we conclude that these values do not require online publication of Individual or Relational Information. We explore ethical concerns related to data harm, contending that these can be mitigated without compromising the goals of coronial inquiries. To move towards a data future that is more just, coroners must share power regarding publication with the deceased person’s relations. More broadly, we call for a rebalancing of open‐ness to focus on agency decision‐making and for a change in culture from one of mass data collection to one of care
Aotearoa · Media studies · Political science · Publishing · Sociology · Gender Studies · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening · Law
R-Words
The Care Principles for Indigenous Data Governance
IX.—Essentially Contested Concepts
Calling forth our pasts, citing our futures
Bereaved Family Members’ Views of the Value of Coronial Inquests Into Fatal Work Incidents
Exploring fatal facts
Taken lives matter
Datafication, dataism and dataveillance
Engaging with whānau to improve coronial investigations into rangatahi suicide
Bereaved Family ‘Involvement’ in (Prisoner) Death Investigations
Understanding e-Justice and Open Justice Through the Assessment of Judicial Websites
Te Pou
Decolonizing Methodologies
| Highly cited | No |
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