Warning: This page contains the name and image of an Aboriginal teenager who has died.
MEDIA ALERT: 36 years after mysterious death, family of Indigenous teen to seek answers at coronial inquest
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Coronial inquest into death of Mark Anthony Haines to begin at Tamworth Courthouse on Monday 8th April 2024; scheduled to run for two weeks
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Smoking ceremony and media conference will be held before inquest opening (details below)
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Mark Haines’ brother and sister are represented by the National Justice Project; his uncle is represented by the Aboriginal Legal Service
The above photograph of Mark is provided with permission of his family.
A long-awaited coronial inquest into the death of Gomeroi teenager, Mark Anthony Haines, is set to examine the suspicious circumstances surrounding the 17-year-old's death in 1988.
The inquest comes after decades of campaigning by Mark’s family, who will be seeking answers about how he came to be found on 16th January 1988 on train tracks outside of Tamworth.
Legal advocates for Mark’s family will draw the Coroner’s attention to the manner in which the police conducted their investigations in the aftermath of Mr Haines’ death, arguing the police’s conclusion that the death was a suicide or due to misadventure failed to consider evidence suggesting the involvement of third parties. They will also explore whether racism played a role in the failures of the investigation.
Lorna Haines, Mark’s sister, said:
"My brother was a beautiful young man. Mark was a talented sportsman, good at school, popular and well-liked. My family have been waiting 36 long years to find out the truth about what happened that night.
"We hope that the Coroner will not rest until all the facts come out. All we want is accountability and truth. At long last, we hope this inquest will be the path to justice.”
Uncle Don ‘Duck’ Craigie, Mark’s uncle, said:
"Our families hope this second inquiry will give us information that was not provided in the first. We are hopeful that answers about Mark’s death will come to light and can finally be explained.”
MEDIA CONFERENCE DETAILS:
Date: Monday 8th April
Location: Tamworth Courthouse
Order of events:
- 9:00AM: Doorstop media conference
- 9:30AM: Smoking ceremony
- 10:00AM: Court in session
Family members represented by the National Justice Project:
- Lorna Haines (Sister of Mark Anthony Haines)
- Ron Haines (Brother of Mark Anthony Haines)
National Justice Project legal team:
- Jason Hesse, Solicitor
- Duncan Fine, Solicitor
- Self Rumbewas, Barrister
Family members represented by the Aboriginal Legal Service:
- Uncle Don ‘Duck’ Craigie (Uncle of Mark Anthony Haines)
Aboriginal Legal Service legal team:
- Alicia Bragg, Community Advocate
- Jalal Razi, Coronial Advocate
- Claire Wasley, Barrister
INQUEST DETAILS:
Dates: 8-19th April
Location: Tamworth Courthouse
Coroner: Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame
Video streaming: Contact Tamworth Local Court to request streaming access: [email protected] or 1300 679 272
Interview requests:
- National Justice Project: Sashka Wickramasighe, Communications Coordinator, [email protected] or (02) 9514 4440
- Aboriginal Legal Service: Alyssa Robinson, Communications and Marketing Manager, [email protected] or 0427 346 017
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Mark Haines was found deceased on 16th January 1988 on train tracks outside of Tamworth.
The initial police investigation concluded that Mr Haines died by suicide after being struck by a train. In September 1989, a coronial inquest returned an open finding on his death.
The Haines family has long pointed to shortcomings in the police version of Mr Haines’ death, including the loss of crucial evidence at the time and the failure to consider alternative conclusions to suicide and misadventure.
In 2022, family members secured the support of human rights lawyers at the National Justice Project to advise them on their avenues for justice and accountability.
In November 2022, the NSW Coroner confirmed that the court was reviewing Mr Haines’ death, and in May 2023, a coronial inquest was announced.
