Calls for comprehensive review on state-run lab after DNA testing failure

The state’s DNA testing bungle has sparked calls for a sweeping review of forensic guidelines with a focus on giving power back to survivors. It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expected to make an announcement today.

Experts say no matter what the state government plans to do about DNA testing failures in hundreds of sexual assault cases, the solution needs to be “survivor driven”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is set to make an announcement today following concerns over state-run forensic testing labs.

It comes as Queensland police are re-examining hundreds of sexual assault cases involving evidence that Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services lab initially reported as having “insufficient DNA for process”, but further testing found a 66 per cent success rate for DNA detection on sex offences.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expected to make an announcement today. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Police are now conducting a review into cases dating back to 2018, with Julie Sarkozi, practice director at Women’s Legal Service Queensland, saying it was a step in the right direction.

“What I would hope is that there’s a rigorous analysis of the QHFSS guidelines and a comprehensive review of their processes and policies,” she said.

“Forensic testing is incredibly intrusive and the idea of going through that when you’re vulnerable and hurt and then being told it’s insufficient evidence is just not acceptable.”

However, following the mass retesting, Ms Sarkozi said it should always be up to the survivor as to whether or not the new information is used to reopen a case.

Ms Sarkozi says it should be up to the survivor what is done with the new information.

“On one level it would be so fantastic to reopen some of these cases, but my concern is the actual trauma of going through it all again. It should be completely up to the survivor. It should be survivor driven,” she said.

However when a case is reopened, Jonathan Crowe, Professor of Law at Bond University, said the new evidence could end up being the decisive factor in reaching a conviction.

“The past failures in the testing system have badly let down victims of these very serious crimes,” he said.

“The investigation is an important step in ensuring that victims who report sexual assaults to police can have confidence in the system and will hopefully lead to previously unresolved cases being reopened.”