Four Corners host Sarah Ferguson defends Lindt Cafe siege victims’ and their families

SARAH Ferguson has taken offence at comments that the inquest in to the deaths at the Lindt Cafe siege was a “witch hunt”. She labelled the suggestion “grossly off the mark”.

Four Corners host Sarah Ferguson.

FOUR Corners host Sarah Ferguson has slammed the NSW Police Union for claiming the inquest into the Lindt Cafe siege was a “witch hunt”.

Ms Ferguson told news.com.au the “idea the inquest was a witch hunt is grossly off the mark”.

The Walkley Award winning journalist’s comments come after NSW Police Association acting boss Tony King said “the inquest has failed the community by becoming a witch hunt into policing rather than a sober level-headed search for the truth”.

Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, who were both killed as the 16-hour siege came to an end on December 16, 2014. Gunman Man Monis was killed by police in a blaze of gunfire.

NSW Coroner Michael Barnes will hand down the inquest findings on Wednesday.

Ahead of the highly anticipated court date, Four Courners will tonight air the first of a two-part program into how the disaster unfolded, and why authorities failed to comprehend the risk posed by hostage taker Monis.

READ: Sydney siege hostages left with deep scars

As part of the series, Ms Ferguson interviewed family members of the victims about their experience on the day and their devastation, anger and frustrations in the aftermath of the siege.

It is the first time several of the family members have spoken about the tragedy publicly.

“Those families went into the inquest not looking for retribution but for truth and leadership in police so that improvements can be made to put them in a better position to confront future events,” Ms Ferguson said.

“They expected it to be carried out in that spirit but that’s not what they saw or experienced.

“What those days were like from them one of most compelling things I’ve ever heard.”

Katrina Dawson on her wedding day. She was tragically killed in the Lindt Cafe siege in 2014.

Katrina Dawson's parents Alexander and Jane at the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege inquest. Picture: James Croucher.

Ms Ferguson said the victims’ families don’t yet feel they have heard what they needed from police at the long-running inquest.

“They sat through an inquest that was much longer than anyone expected,” she said.

“They heard about Monis’ history, bail, even before the details of the siege itself.

“They have expressed deep frustration about police in particular and the Department of Public Prosecutions (for letting Monis out on bail for past offences prior to the siege).

Rosie Connellan mother of Tori Johnson. Screen Grab.

Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson before he was killed in the 2014 siege and his partner Thomas Zinn.

According to Ms Ferguson, the victims’ families have not misdirected their anger towards police or the DPP.

“Everybody understands the central truth is that Monis was responsible for this siege,” she said.

“He planned it, bought a weapon, took a series of steps in the lead up and carried it out.

“At the same time there’s a reasonable expectation of the families that police should carefully examine the culture and nature of their decision making.

“Those families showed great restraint throughout the inquest because they wanted to let it do its work.”

Survivor Marcia Mikhael in the window of the Lindt Cafe during the siege with Katrina Dawson (right) who was killed as the standoff came to an end.

The Lindt Cafe siege ended with two of 18 hostages dead. The survivors either escaped or were freed when police brought the standoff to an end. Picture: Chris McKeen

The inquest last year heard from a string of witnesses that included surviving hostages, forensic and ballistic specialists, snipers and tactical response members. The court heard there was a litany of police mistakes as part of the emergency response. The views from within the NSW Police force about what should or shouldn’t have happened varied greatly.

“There’s no uniform view from police,” Ms Ferguson said.

“Some police commanders said at the inquest they wouldn’t do anything differently.

“The tactical police said they themselves wanted to go in earlier.”

Ms Ferguson said a review of the NSW Police response to the siege conducted by a UK specialist team found the circumstances were challenging but criticised the way it was handled.

The program wil explore what went wrong and question whether Australia is prepared for another terror attack.

“I think the NSW Police force is big enough to absorb criticism and think about how to do things differently,” Ms Ferguson said.

CCTV footage showing Senior Constable Paul Withers interacting with Katrina Dawson at the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place. Constable Withers was the first responder on the morning of the siege.

Family members of Katrina Dawson visit a memorial three days after the siege at Lindt cafe in Martin Place. Picture: John Grainger

And that’s exactly what the family members of those who died in the tragedy hope to see and hear when the inquest findings are delivered on Wednesday.

“They’re hoping for the truth and for police to admit where errors were made and strong recommendations about future management of sieges,” Ms Ferguson said.

“What’s the point of an inquest if we don’t end up with a better system and are better able to confront the next challenging situation?”

At the core of it all, is of course the loss of two innocent lives, and those left behind struggling to move forward without them.

“I think this is a very difficult week for the families,” Ms Ferguson said.

“Going through a long inquest is extraordinarily painful, to relive their extraordinarily grotesque deaths is unimaginable.

“The repetition of evidence about the brutal end of someone you love is hard to contemplate. “The grief they feel about that deserves profound respect.”

The Four Corners special two-part investigation into the Lindt Cafe siege will air Monday May 22 & 29 at 8.30pm on ABC & ABC iview.

Originally published as Four Corners host Sarah Ferguson defends Lindt Cafe siege victims’ and their families