An inquest into the murder of a Queensland teenager has been adjourned just as a notorious jailhouse killer was to take the stand, angering family members who have waited decades for answers.
Convicted killer Allan McQueen has been named as a 'person of interest' in the 1989 murder of Annette Mason.
The armed robber, who bludgeoned a prison inmate to death with gym weights in the 1990s, was called to give evidence at the inquest on Friday.
He was seated in the dock when his legal counsel asked for an adjournment, claiming they had not had enough time with their client.
Barrister Damian Walsh said he had only been able to speak with McQueen for three hours before he was to testify.
"I believe I have at least four or five more hours of conferencing to do with Mr McQueen so he is familiar with the extensive evidence," Mr Walsh said as he was granted an adjournment until April 5 in the interest of fairness.
It was a devastating blow for the Mason family, who have waited more than 32 years for answers.
Annette was 15 when she was bludgeoned to death in a house she shared with friends in Toowoomba in November 1989.
She died of blunt force trauma to the head inflicted with a piece of timber found in the laundry.
No one has been charged with her murder.
Coroner Terry Ryan reopened the investigation after a first inquest failed to find sufficient evidence to pin down her killer.
Outside court, Michael Mason said there was no justice for his daughter.
"There's no justice in this country - it's all for criminals," Mr Mason said.
"After all this time we get thrown out again. It's bull****.
"I can't understand it, it's just beyond me."
Annette's younger brother said the family had waited long enough.
"I think we deserve it a little bit more than him (McQueen)," Kevin Mason said.
Annette's mother, Judith Andersen, said it had been an emotional week waiting to see McQueen in the dock.
"To know that it's going to go on for a bit longer is very hard," Ms Andersen said.
Now is a wheelchair and hard of hearing, Ms Anderson has been in the courtroom for every moment of the reopened probe into Annette's death.
Despite the delay, she still clings to the hope of finding justice for her daughter.
"We will be right. We will be back. We will survive," she said.
"We just have to take what we can get.
'I have faith in the legal system and in our lawyers and the coroner. I have so much faith in them ... it's still very hard to take."
Despite her faith, Ms Andersen believes the justice system favours the accused.
"I don't think the law is ever fair to the victim, it's more fair to the perpetrators," she said.
"I am not one for vengeance, but I think whoever did what they did to Annette was not a normal person.
"They need a lot of help ... I don't want to stop that person getting the help they need. No only for us, but for society in general."
