It’s criminal: 10,000 forensic tests still untouched despite police DNA lab outcry
Thousands of DNA samples potentially linked to serious crimes remain untested in Queensland, prompting calls for the state government to reveal the depth of the forensic backlog.
The major backlog at a state-run DNA laboratory was revealed during a court mention in a criminal case this week.
“There’s 10,000 cases in backlog for DNA testing,” Deputy Chief Magistrate Anthony Gett told the Brisbane Magistrates Court, according to media reports.
“That’s what’s being indicated to myself and others.”
State Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli said the delays were the “tip of the iceberg”.
“The LNP is today calling on the state government to outline the depths of the forensic lab DNA debacle and outline a pathway out of this mess,” he said on Tuesday.
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“For open court to be told of potentially over 1800 false statements in 1200 cases shows just the tip of the iceberg of how damaging this poor service delivery has been to justice in Queensland.”
The state-run lab recently sent out an interstate SOS, which was answered by the Australian Federal Police which offered to help with the forensic testing of bone samples.
A four-month inquiry into the state’s embattled DNA testing system found failures to properly test samples for years due to “grave maladministration involving dishonesty”.
The inquiry report revealed lab managers had focused on speed rather than accuracy in DNA testing, to the detriment of quality science.
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This “scourge had invaded many areas of the laboratory’s practices”, including validating processes and equipment, time management and resourcing.
Victims whose cases are caught in the logjam are yet to be contacted by authorities, Mr Crisafulli said.
“Months down the track, after putting themselves through one of the most harrowing experiences someone can go through to not even be contacted, shows everything you need to know about a process that is running off the rails,” he said.
Problems at Queensland’s Forensic and Scientific Services lab were first raised as far back as 2021.
The independent Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in Queensland was established last year.
Its report also found many samples went untested after falling below a pre-determined threshold and the lab incorrectly found some samples were DNA “insufficient”.
“It matters because there are potentially innocent people who have been denied justice,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“It matters because there are potentially guilty people walking free, and it matters because people bravely stepped up to tell their stories to drive change.
“It matters because the government has a duty to ensure that at the heart of a fine justice system is the systems in place to get people the justice they deserve.”
Queensland Health has been contacted for comment.
