Annette Mason inquest to be reopened

AN inquest into the death of a Queensland teenager, who was found bludgeoned to death 27 years ago, will be reopened.

Annette Mason was found dead in the front bedroom of her home in 1989.

AN inquest into the death of Queensland teenager Annette Mason, who was killed in Toowoomba 27 years ago, will be reopened.

The 15-year-old was found bludgeoned to death in the front bedroom of her home and despite an inquest two years later, nobody has ever been charged over her murder.

“As attorney-general, I believe it is in the interests of justice that the inquest be reopened, and consequently I am instructing the State Coroner to do so,” Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said in a statement this afternoon.

Ms D’Ath urged anyone with information about the death to come forward and said a $250,000 reward for information leading to a conviction remained on offer.

The initial inquest was closed subject to “reopening at any stage should further evidence become available”.

In June, the Liberal National Party opposition promised to reopen the matter, if it was elected, in light of new evidence.

LNP Leader Tim Nicholls said information that had been given to shadow attorney- general Ian Walker would form the basis of the investigation.

“We understand some people may be fearful to present this evidence for fear of retaliation from certain parties,” Mr Walker said at the time.

“But Annette’s family deserves the answers they’ve been denied for nearly 30 years.”

The Courier-Mail reported earlier this year that Annette’s parents were left inconsolable after their calls for an inquest were rejected.

Annette’s family has been campaigning for a second inquest — the first was held 25 years ago — as its last hope in its quest for justice.

The 15-year-old, a former star pupil at Toowoomba’s St Ursula’s College, was bludgeoned to death in her bed in 1989 after a night out. Annette had just left school and moved into a share house before her murder.

Annette’s sister Linda said in May the family had been devastated to receive a letter from the Attorney-General denying them a second inquest but had vowed to fight on.

A spokesman for the Attorney-General at the time said the investigation into Annette’s death was ongoing.

Retired investigators who worked on the case have repeatedly described Annette’s murder as “solvable”.

“The first inquest was in 1991. We’ve had 25 years of new evidence and people coming forward” Linda said. “It’s absolutely solvable.”