Hopes inquest into Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy will begin in September

A coronial inquest into the tragic deaths of six children during a jumping castle incident at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, is tentatively scheduled to commence in September, nearly five years after the event. The initial hearing is planned for the Paranaple Centre in Devonport.

The inquest, led by coroner Olivia McTaggart, was previously postponed to allow a criminal case against the jumping castle's owner to proceed. Rosemary Gamble, the owner of Taz-Zorb, was found not guilty of failing in her work health and safety duty in June last year, allowing the coronial process to resume.

During a case management conference at the Hobart Magistrates Court, Ms. McTaggart expressed a desire for the inquest to begin by late September, emphasizing the importance of providing closure for the families involved. The scope of the inquest and the witness list are still being finalized, with a decision on the exact start date expected by the end of July.

Families of the victims are advocating for the inclusion of school staff, including the former principal and the teacher who organized the event, on the witness list. However, the state has opposed this, arguing that these individuals have already provided affidavits and responses to WorkSafe, and calling them again would not yield new information and could cause further trauma. The state indicated a senior official from the Department of Education would testify. The inquest's scope may also examine potential deficits or inadequacies within the Department of Education that contributed to the tragedy, including the selection of the supplier and risk assessments conducted.

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particularly for the sake of the families