Across 3,000 pages about the 32 deaths publicly examined by a New South Wales special commission of inquiry into LGBTQ+ hate crimes, four cases stood out. In his final report, released just days before Christmas, the commissioner, Justice John Sackar, found that police failed to properly investigate potential gay hate crimes and must rebuild trust with the LGBTQ+ community.
But there were four deaths examined by the inquiry that should be referred by NSW police to the coroner for a fresh inquest, the report found, because of the evidence that had been uncovered.
