The State Coroner Michael Barnes asked the office of the Chief Coroner of England and Wales to identify experts in British police forces to help in the review of the Lindt cafe siege. Credit:Andrew Meares The move should help allay calls from critics such as Greens MP David Shoebridge, who said the inquest would be "fundamentally flawed" unless an independent body was brought in. Mr Shoebridge said there was a conflict of interest when police investigated their own, particularly when a subordinate officer was examining the decisions of his or her superiors. "How can any detective be expected to do a no-holds barred investigation of decisions by his own commanding officer?" he said. In line with protocols for all deaths resulting from police intervention, the siege has been referred to a critical incident review team, made up of senior detectives from the NSW Homicide Squad. Led by Detective Inspector Angelo Memmolo, the team's work will provide much of the evidence to be considered by the Coroner.

Greens MP David Shoebridge said there was a conflict of interest when police investigated their own. Credit:Sahlan Hayes Mr Shoebridge said the conflict of interest would be particularly problematic in this case, because officers would have to examine the decision by senior police not to carry out a pre-emptive or "direct action" against Man Haron Monis. But Dr Rebecca Scott-Bray, an expert in coronial inquests from the University of Sydney, said the decision to bring in British police was not because of any concerns about the local investigation. "Police operations are very sensitive things," Dr Scott-Bray, the co-director of the Sydney Institute of Criminology, said. "This is a very high-profile case. It's a very serious matter, and I think it ensures not just independence in the review but the perception of independence and justice being seen to be done."

Earlier this month the Herald reported tensions had emerged among police about the command strategy during the 17-hour stand-off. A "direct action" plan, under which armed police would storm the cafe and take gunman Monis by surprise, was ready to enact a few hours into the incident. However, the plan was aborted and police had to adopt the reactive "emergency action" plan after Monis fired the first shot from his pump-action sawn-off shotgun in response to the escape of six hostages at 2.03am. Police stormed the cafe, with two marksmen firing 22 bullets between them, immediately after seeing Monis execute cafe manager Tori Johnson at 2.14am. Throughout the siege, Iranian refugee Monis had issued three demands via videos recorded by three female hostages uploaded to video-sharing website YouTube. He wanted an Islamic State flag, an interview with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, to be broadcast live, and for the media to report that the siege was an attack on Australia by the Islamic State. The demands were refused.

During an opening address at the Coroners Court in Glebe on Thursday, counsel assisting the coroner Jeremy Gormly SC said specific details about police protocols and procedures might need to remain confidential for security reasons, although all those involved in the inquest wanted the "evidence and the process as open as possible". "That evidence may require special treatment," he said. This week Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he feared live media coverage could hamper the ability of police or the military to respond to sieges. British media reports said in light of the extensive live television coverage of the sieges in Sydney and Paris, Sir Bernard had asked television news organisations to consider not broadcasting live images of police or special forces preparing to storm a site. The fear was that hostage-takers might be tipped off about an impending rescue mission, meaning police lost any element of surprise.

On December 15, 2014, police were on site within five minutes of Monis forcing Mr Johnson to place a 000 call announcing "Australia is under attack from Islamic State". The tactical operations unit was notified quickly and heavily armed police took up positions in Martin Place at 10.07am. However, it was another 16 hours before the officers stormed the cafe. A spokeswoman for Mr Barnes said the logistics of the review process were yet to be finalised. Further inquest hearing dates would be announced before the end of March.