The three most senior New South Wales police during the deadly Sydney siege are finally set to front a coronial inquest after being hit by unexpected delays.
Commissioner Andrew Scipione, his deputy Cath Burn, and acting commissioner Jeff Loy are due to give their highly-anticipated evidence at the Lindt Cafe inquest today and on Tuesday and Wednesday.
They were originally scheduled to appear before the coroner earlier this month, but were thrown off course by a surprise bundle of documents which had not yet been properly vetted.
The documents were offered up to the counsel assisting the coroner in June after families of slain hostages Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson requested that the three officers be called to give evidence.
But the stack of files - including text messages, emails and cabinet documents - had been inadvertently overlooked. Legal professionals have since spent the past fortnight combing through the records.
Meanwhile, a telecommunications provider has been directed to track down deleted text messages Ms Burn sent during and soon after the deadly stand-off in Martin Place.
Whether this search of the telco's server has unearthed anything will be made clear early this week.
NSW Coroner Michael Barnes wants to know if any of the three top officers inappropriately intruded - or failed to intervene when they ought to have - during the December 2014 siege.
Central to questions levelled at Ms Burn and Mr Scipione will be conversations each had with Commander Mark Jenkins about 13 hours into the December 2014 siege.
Ms Burn spoke with the commander about progress in negotiations, and Mr Scipione discussed with him options for storming the stronghold.
Officers ultimately stormed the cafe and shot gunman Man Haron Monis dead about three hours later after cafe manager Tori Johnson was executed, with hostage Katrina Dawson also fatally wounded in the assault.
All three senior officers have denied giving any key operational guidance, directions or advice during the stand-off.
Coroner Barnes will test these claims when the trio give their long-awaited evidence.
