KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand inquest will be held into the death of Australian kayaker Andrew McAuley, presumed drowned off the Fiordland coast during his attempt to paddle across the Tasman in February.
Te Anau coroner Trevor Savage said he had given the Solicitor-General a list of reasons why the inquest should go ahead.
"It was a given that if we don't have an inquest here, there certainly would be one in Australia. I felt there should be an inquest because it was a matter of considerable public interest at the time," he said.
An Australian inquest into Mr McAuley's death was opened and adjourned by Tasmanian coroner Stephen Carey in March, while he awaited a decision from New Zealand authorities.
Mr McAuley was trying to becoming the first solo kayaker to cross the Tasman Sea but got into distress about 50 nautical miles off the coast of Milford Sound, almost at the completion of his journey.
A distress call was made on February 9 and his semi-submerged kayak was discovered the next day.
Searches continued until February 12 but his body was never recovered.
Mr Savage said because so much of the information was gathered by Te Anau police and the New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination Centre, it made sense for an inquest to be held here.
It has not yet been decided whether both the Australian and New Zealand inquests will proceed, or just the New Zealand one.
No date had been set for the hearing but Mr Savage said it was unlikely to be in the next three months.
Mr McAuley's widow, Vicki, has said she planned to write a book about her husband's life.
A documentary, using photographs and recordings taken from the kayak and from a memorial service, is also being prepared.
- NZPA
