‘Dirty lab’: more flaws in DNA forensic testing debacle
Laine Clark and Lloyd Jones |
A “dirty lab” has sparked fears victims may be in danger as they wait more than a year for DNA test results that can be processed in days.
A damning review has exposed more flaws at Queensland’s troubled forensic testing lab that have delayed court cases for years and left major crime victims in “harm’s way”.
Former NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller will spearhead a revamp after contamination issues, testing delays and unreliable results since early-2023 were identified in the embattled lab’s latest probe.
Leading the review, Kirsty Wright said lessons had not been learned from the lab’s previous back-to-back inquiries with major crime victims waiting more than 400 days for test results.
Dr Wright said the inquiry found crime scene samples were knowingly being processed in a “dirty lab” on unclean surfaces for at least a year or more.
“They knew this … they were repeatedly finding that the examination surfaces were dirty,” she told reporters.
Forensic Science Queensland director Linzi Wilson-Wilde resigned in July, a month after being suspended over “contamination issues” at the lab.
DNA evidence for major crime cases over the past two-and-a-half years are set to be re-examined following the “confronting” report.
The median time for the lab to process material for major-crime cases was about 420 days, Dr Wright said.
“Victims are waiting over a year for the rape kits to be tested,” she said.
“In other jurisdictions, that’s taking five to 10 days. So you can see the chasm in the service that we need to rebuild.”
Queensland Magistrates Court cases relying on DNA evidence were being delayed by up to three years.
“That’s just simply unacceptable,” Dr Wright said.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington felt for major crime victims “waiting for the justice system” because of the lab’s failings, saying some may be left in danger.
“Women and children … may be in harm’s way because they are still waiting on the justice system to catch up,” she told reporters on Monday.
The report called the flawed DNA testing and mismanagement of the forensic biology laboratory “one of the greatest failures of a justice system in the world”.
“Queensland’s criminal justice system had been compromised, many thousands of victims had been denied justice, and the communities’ trust in forensic DNA services lost,” it said.
More than 13,000 samples – up to 12 months’ worth of crime scene submissions – are still to be re-tested following the previous two inquiries in as many years.
Forensic Science Queensland was established in May 2023 after the two inquiries exposed major lab failings.
They included a “fundamentally flawed” automated testing method that may have led to offenders potentially escaping conviction for nine years from 2007.
But Dr Wright said post-inquiry changes to the DNA testing method had been done incorrectly, ensuring samples from May 2023 would have to be re-tested.
“We’ve found systemic contamination. We’ve found shortcuts are being taken,” she said.
“We’ve found that the accreditation standards aren’t being adhered to … test methods are being used that haven’t been properly tested.
“So we need to go back and examine that further to see how many cases in the last two-and-a-half years might have been compromised.”
Mr Fuller will head an expert team to drive the report’s 26 recommendations that provided a “comprehensive blueprint” for change.
Dr Wright had previously spoken out about the lab, triggering the two inquiries.
She was appointed to oversee the latest lab review with renowned FBI expert Bruce Budowle by the Liberal National government after they claimed the 2024 election.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli on Monday blamed the lab debacle on the former Labor government.
Asked if those responsible would be investigated Mr Crisafulli said there would be an opportunity for people to explain their part “including people still in the parliament”.
“If there are people who need to be held accountable, they will be held accountable,” he said.
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