Victoria Police lost an application to suppress an operational review undertaken after Bourke Street Mall killer James Gargasoulas rammed his car onto pedestrians, killing six people and injuring dozens of others.
Coroner Jacqui Hawkins on Friday ruled for the report to be made public.
Victoria Police argued that details of the force’s new policy about pursuing suspects should be kept secret in the interests of public safety, but Ms Hawkins ruled against their bid and ordered the inquest be expanded to look at the actions of police up until Gargasoulas’ arrest.
READ MORE: Police push to suppress release of report on lead-up to Gargasoulas’ Bourke Street massacre
Victims’ families also want other responses to be examined. Aine Magee QC, one of the lawyers for the families of victims, said that 10-year-old Tahlia Hakin’s father was led to believe his daughter was still alive and was prevented from having access to her.
Ms Hawkins ruled that families be given access to the criminal brief. This would allow them to make their case to further and expand the scope of the inquiry.
The inquest originally would have run from 18 November until 20 December, but will be extended into February.
Michael Lombard, representing the families of victims, said outside court that they were pleased that everything would now be “on the table” for the coroner to investigate.