NSW Coroner Condemns Delays to Indigenous Inmates' Health Screenings

NSW coroner Gregory Merriman, a 58-year-old Yuin man and direct descendant of revered Yuin leader Umbarra, died at Silverwater's Metropolitan Reception and Remand Centre (MRRC) in Sydney's western suburbs in December 2022. The coroner investigating his death has strongly criticized plans to delay health screenings for Indigenous inmates, warning it could result in critical health issues being overlooked.

Merriman, a member of the Stolen Generations, did not receive a chronic health screening before suffering a fatal heart attack while incarcerated. The coroner expressed being