The inquest findings will be handed to the Ethical Standards Command and the Crime Misconduct Commission and the officers may face disciplinary action.

Wade was born and educated in Tamworth, having attended Oxley Vale Public School and Oxley High School.

He was three years into an electrical apprenticeship, employed by his father Garry Monckton on the Gold Coast, when he died.

Yesterday his mother Kay Hartley remembered Wade as a fun loving, handsome boy who was much loved by his parents and siblings and had a lot to live for.

"The inquest was so hard to sit through, we feel numb and drained, but we needed to go," Mrs Hartley said.

"We are very pleased with the findings, Wade shouldn't have lost his life – it was a senseless waste.

"We will never recover as a family, our lives will never be the same."

NSW Deputy State Coroner Jacquiline Milledge said Gold Coast constables who were in pursuit of the vehicle ignored orders to end the pursuit and chased the intoxicated teenager at speeds of at least 130km/h.

"I find Wade Monckton died at 12.09am on the 18th of February 2001 from multiple injuries sustained when the car he was driving collided with a prime mover on the Pacific Highway while he was being pursued by police," Ms Milledge said.

Mr Monckton fled from police after recording an alcohol level of .061 after a random breath test at Coolangatta.

She said the police chased the intoxicated and inexperienced youth into NSW, despite the fact they did not have the power to arrest him.

She said Queensland police in a second police car, which arrived at the crash site about 90 seconds later, were also at fault.

The inquest found communication between Queensland and NSW police was lacking and could have played an important role in terminating the pursuit, which led to Mr Monckton's death.

It also found police had limited knowledge of interstate policies, particularly those on safe driving during a pursuit.