Ken Archer is the dedicated Coroner for the ACT.

Born and educated in Tasmania he came to Canberra in 1985. 

He joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1988 and took up an appointment with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in 1990. He practised predominantly as a trial advocate with appearances also as counsel assisting in coronial proceedings. 

He was Deputy Director of the DPP at the time he became a barrister in 2003. Whilst at the Bar he practised mostly as a defence barrister in criminal proceedings involving jury and appellate advocacy.

Coronial law and practice were also areas of specialisation and he appeared for the Australian Federal Police in the ACT Bushfire Inquiry in 2003. He appeared for the Territory and as Counsel Assisting in a range of inquests including deaths in custody and deaths that occurred whilst under medical care. 

During his time at the Bar, Ken was the President of the ACT Bar Association and was on the Executive of the Australian Bar Association.

He was appointed as the ACT’s dedicated Coroner in March 2022. He has responsibility for conducting almost all of the coronial proceedings in the ACT, including deaths that arise from treatment in a medical setting. 

The ACT coronial process is undergoing significant change and review. The ACT has commissioned an independent facilitator to co-ordinate meeting with stakeholders to see if agreements can be reached as to how coronial proceedings can be conducted in a more restorative way. Some of the issues being considered is whether appropriate cases can be heard in a less adversarial environment and whether the court’s processes should be audited as to whether they conform with sound trauma informed practise. 

The independent facilitator is due to report in early 2024.