David Crisafulli slams state government for playing politics with DNA lab debacle

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has accused the state government of treating a DNA lab debacle as a ‘political plaything’ despite the potential of murderers and rapists walking free.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has accused the state government of treating a DNA lab debacle as a “political plaything” despite the potential of murderers and rapists walking free.

Mr Crisafulli has hit out at the government after it recently announced a second inquiry would be launched to investigate concerns about a flawed automatic DNA extraction method known as Project 13, just days after Health Minister Shannon Fentiman dismissed it as unnecessary.

Some 37,000 cases now require a review after the automation testing process was found to fail to detect DNA routinely.

The method has been blamed for samples failing to identify Mackay woman Shandee Blackburn’s killer in 2013.

Mr Crisafulli said the opposition along with Shandee’s mum Vicki Blackburn have been calling on the state government to reopen a commission.

Vicki Blackburn and Shandee Blackburn

He called her on Wednesday after hearing news of the second inquiry being launched.

“When I first met Vicki Blackburn a long time ago, I looked her in the eye and said we’d leave no stone unturned to give her justice for her family,” he said.

“To see the way that she has been treated breaks my heart.”

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the new Commission of Inquiry would answer questions and concerns recently raised in relation Project 13.

“The original Commission of Inquiry already recommended a number of reviews of DNA processes and sample cohorts, which the Queensland Government supports,” she said.

“This new inquiry will ensure a transparent and comprehensive review of matters raised after the original inquiry and is in line with the Queensland Government’s commitment to rebuilding the state’s forensic and DNA testing processes.”

Mr Crisafulli said he thought it was an “extraordinary development,” describing it as essentially “the government has called a royal commission into a royal commission.”

“It’s the latest chapter in a sad saga of a failed DNA laboratory in this state and the government refusing to acknowledge how serious the problem is,” he said.

“The way this process has been handled has been callous, it’s been cold, it’s been chaotic.

“Queenslanders deserve to have a laboratory that can do its job and ensure justice in this state is done.

“We have a situation where thousands of Queenslanders may have been denied justice, where thousands had been denied their opportunity to be listened to.

“There is a potential that murderers and rapists have walked free because of these failings, and the government has treated this like a political plaything.”

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli. Picture: Brendan Radke

Retired Federal Court judge Annabelle Bennett SC will be appointed to conduct the second inquiry, which will include holding public hearings and calling witnesses to give evidence under oath.

Dr Bennett’s final report and recommendations from the new DNA inquiry will be due on November 17.

Originally published as David Crisafulli slams state government for playing politics with DNA lab debacle