Sydney siege survivor's touching tribute to Katrina Dawson
FIRST ON 7: On the eve of the Lindt Café siege inquest, 7News can bring you a story of joy, and respect.
All of the hostages from last December will give evidence - one of them, Julie Taylor, was pregnant at the time.
She has now had a baby girl and named her after her best friend, Katrina Dawson, who was killed that night.
Ms Taylor was 19 weeks pregnant when she found herself caught up in the Lindt Cafe nightmare with her best friend Katrina Dawson.
Julie survived, fleeing just minutes before the police stormed in.
Katrina was killed in the crossfire.
But from all that, one glimmer of good news.
Julie gave birth to a healthy baby girl a fortnight ago, and named her Emily Katrina - in honour of the friend she lost.
"Katrina Dawson was the most wonderful person I have ever met. She was my closest friend, a role model and confidant...," the Ms Taylor said.
The news comes on the eve of Monday's siege inquest, the first day of hearings in a two week block.
It will focus on gunman Man Haron Monis; his origins, visas, criminal history, and how he slipped through the cracks.
Criminal Lawyer Nick Boyden said that he hopes a coronial inquest will get to the truth.
"A coronial inquest isn't bound by the rules of evidence, it has the same powers as a royal commission," Mr Boyden told 7News.
Over a hundred witnesses will be called, including veteran Seven Network reporter David Richardson, who reported extensively on Monis years before the siege.
"An act of lone wolf, religious zealot, terrorism... the coroner will spend some months looking at that," Richardson said.
The hearings will be held at the John Maddison Tower amid tight security.
The inquest will be held in a purpose-built courtroom that cost over half a million dollars.
When it begins at 10am, the opening address is expected to run a marathon six hours, and for the first time in Australian legal history it will be streamed live.
The final report is expected early next year.
