00:00 Still loved and still missed, Nathan Booth's family has literally worn their grief on their
00:07 shirts, dismayed by an initial finding of death by misadventure.
00:13 This has compounded the trauma and anguish in Aboriginal communities and families, like
00:18 our family who are before you today, forced to grieve without closure or consequence for
00:26 those responsible.
00:28 Today Coroner Ken Archer apologised for the long delay, telling the family, "Nathan's
00:34 case had been left to languish for a period of time.
00:38 That should not have been allowed to happen.
00:40 He said much work was needed to assemble the case.
00:44 Up to that point, I do not think that the job had been done properly."
00:48 Mr Booth was last seen in June 2019.
00:52 His body was found in the river in December that year by two schoolboys on a fishing trip
00:57 near a rock formation known as the Toaster.
01:01 Today the court viewed drone footage of the terrain as details were revealed about how
01:06 Mr Booth had a broken ankle before he died, and later forensic tests found methadone and
01:12 methamphetamines in his liver and hair.
01:15 But for his family, it's about finding answers.
01:19 We will not be deterred until the truth we can no longer ignore is finally reckoned with.
01:24 A key question for the inquest is whether Nathan Booth's body was moved downstream
01:30 by the water or whether he died where he was found.
01:33 Tomorrow the inquest will hear from experts in river levels and geospatial analysis, as
01:39 well as a kayaker who regularly filmed in the area in 2019.
01:44 The inquest is expected to run until the end of the week.
01:47 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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