Premier flags forensic lab shake up after alleged blunders
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has hinted at “a very big announcement” about the state government-run forensic lab, after widespread concerns were raised about the facility.
Revelations of DNA-testing problems at the state-run forensics lab have prompted police to review sexual assault cases dating back to 2018.
“We are very concerned with those new revelations, it changes everything,” Palaszczuk said on Friday.
Authorities remain ‘deep in conversation’ with nothing off the table to resolve the issue, the premier said.
“In light of all those new revelations, I think you’ll see a very big announcement on Monday,” she said.
Potential problems with the lab first came to light as a result of The Australian’s podcast series Shandee’s Story about the investigation into the 2013 death of Shandee Blackburn.
Queensland police are reviewing hundreds of sexual assault cases involving evidence reported as having ‘insufficient DNA for processing’.
The government has ordered a review into the systems and processes at the state-run Forensic DNA Analysis Unit, but the premier said it was the first step.
Terms of reference for the government review were tabled in May and include investigating the appropriateness of threshold limits for DNA samples.
Specimens that fall below a certain level are reported as ‘no DNA detected’ or ‘DNA insufficient for further processing’, and the review will look at how Queensland compares to other jurisdictions.
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Shandee Blackburn, 23, was stabbed multiple times in a frenzied attack metres from her front door as she returned from a late shift at Harrup Park Country Club in Mackay, just after midnight on February 9, 2013.
A coronial investigation into her death will be reopened following a request by the state’s Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman.
Fentiman asked for further consideration given “recent issues raised regarding the forensic evidence and testing of evidence in this case”, a Coroners Court of Queensland official said in February.
