A warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers, this report contains the name and image of a person who has died – used with the permission of his family. The death of Canberra man Nathan Booth six years ago will be reviewed by police after the findings of an inquest were handed down. Mr Booth’s family broke into applause as the coroner delivered his recommendations. But they called for changes following long delays in the investigation.
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00:00Nathan Booth's family has endured a long wait for answers.
00:07Even the coroner described the police investigation as not satisfactorily advanced,
00:13all made worse by rumours he'd been murdered.
00:16Police identified 23 separate suggestions.
00:20When they did investigate, they interviewed those who were named,
00:24but with no result ahead of the inquest.
00:27Our family still stands united, and our community still stands united,
00:30that Nathan was murdered here in the ACT, and nothing's been done about it.
00:34Coroner Ken Archer found Mr Booth had died of hypothermia in the Murrumbidgee River
00:40near Pine Island in mid-2019, six months before he was found.
00:45But Mr Archer stopped short of saying how Mr Booth ended up in such an isolated place.
00:51The inquest heard that no alarms were raised when Mr Booth missed appointments
00:55at the methadone clinic.
00:57Today his family suggested clinic confidentiality rules should be eased in such cases.
01:02Because it's a voluntary program, they don't let anyone else know,
01:05and I said we wanted that change.
01:07The inquest also broke new ground as part of a pilot to engage families more closely.
01:13But then the coroner made an effort to speak to them,
01:17give them an opportunity to voice their concern and make them part of the process.
01:22And that paved the way to healing.
01:25Perhaps the best endorsement was from Mr Booth's mother.
01:29I want to thank the coroner for his findings and for being there to support us as well.
01:36Nathan Booth's family says they hope the program will continue so other families can also benefit.
01:43the benefit.