Hedley Thomas

Hedley ThomasNational Chief Correspondent

Hedley Thomas is The Australian’s national chief correspondent, specialising in investigative reporting with an interest in legal issues, the judiciary, corruption and politics. He has won eight Walkley awards including two Gold Walkleys; the first in 2007 for his investigations into the fiasco surrounding the Australian Federal Police investigations of Dr Mohamed Haneef, and the second in 2018 for his podcast, The Teacher’s Pet, investigating the 1982 murder of Sydney mother Lynette Dawson. You can contact Hedley confidentially at thomash@theaustralian.com.au

Hedley Thomas

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commentaryPolitics

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWIRE Photos SEPTEMBER 26, 2023: Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman at The Prince Charles HospitalPicture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

Fentiman wears political damage in favour of justice

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, tipped by many to be Queensland’s next premier, deserves credit for an open, transparent and powerful probe into her state’s DNA lab.

Hedley Thomas

ExclusivePolitics

The Qld Health Minuster has announced an inquiry into the DNA lab.

DNA scandal scientists could be hauled before inquiry

The Queensland Health Minister has commissioned a public inquiry into a catastrophically flawed DNA extraction method that may have denied thousands of crime victims justice.

David Murray, Hedley Thomas, Michael McKenna and Lydia Lynch

exclusivePolitics

24/11/2022: forensic scientist, Kirsty Wright (c) with L-R Vicki Blackburn and Shannah Blackburn - mother and sister of Shandee, outside the inquiry, after the DNA Inquiry today dealt with forensic revelations in regards to the 2013 murder of Shandee Blackburn in Mackay. pic Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Wrong call: Murder victim’s mum rejects review

The Queensland government tried to persuade Shandee Blackburn’s mum that an advisory board could handle allegations against the new chief of the state’s DNA lab.

David Murray and Hedley Thomas

commentaryPolitics

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - SEPTEMBER 13, 2023.Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman speaks during Question Time at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

DNA lab inquiry a shameless political cover-up

Shannon Fentiman’s dithering, spin and lobbying of the mother of a murder victim will not end well. It threatens the Queensland Health minister’s ambitions to be the state’s next premier.

Hedley Thomas

EXCLUSIVENation

Brisbane District Court Her Honour Judge Julie Dick Photographer Philip Norrish

Evidence pall over DNA lab’s new chief

Another explanation for why Queensland’s top scientist failed to tell a public inquiry about a ‘catastrophic’ collapse in DNA lab yield is discredited by inquiry evidence.

Hedley Thomas and David Murray

commentaryPolitics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NCA NewsWire Photos - 19 SEPTEMBER, 2023: Deputy Premier Prue Car during Question Time in the Legislative Assembly at New South Wales Parliament House, Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / pool / Bianca DeMarchi

Time to put things right for Dawson’s victim, Minister Car

The woman who survived Chris Dawson deserves our thanks. Not more victim-blaming from the NSW education department.

Hedley Thomas

exclusiveNation

Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ) CEO Linzi Wilson-Wilde, Coopers Plains. Picture: Liam Kidston

Fears over DNA chief’s ties with overseer

A scandal plaguing the new chief of Queensland’s DNA lab claims her associations with scientific experts overseeing her work leave whistleblowers nowhere to turn.

David Murray and Hedley Thomas

exclusiveNation

Retired forensic scientist Ron Grice at his Brisbane home. Picture: David Murray

School kid ‘could find DNA flaws’

A retired forensic scientist says a high school student could have picked up catastrophic problems with a DNA extraction method that has been blamed for the failure to identify Shandee Blackburn’s killer.

Lydia Lynch, David Murray and Hedley Thomas

SHANDEE’S STORYPolitics

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - SEPTEMBER 28, 2022.Vicki Blackburn, the mother of murder victim Shandee Blackburn arrives for the commission of inquiry into forensic DNA testing at the Magistrates Court in Brisbane. Queensland police have established Task Force Helix to investigate potentially thousands of cases between early 2018 and June 2022 where DNA samples had not met the laboratory's threshold for further testing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Call for new Queensland DNA boss to quit

The mother of murdered woman Shandee Blackburn calls for the new boss of Queensland’s troubled DNA lab to resign and a CCC investigation to be ordered into her actions.

Sarah Elks and Hedley Thomas

CrimeNation

EMBARGO FOR TWAM 10 DECEMBER 2022. FEE MAY APPLY. DNA Scientist Dr Kirsty Wright Monday 21 November, 2022 on the Gold Coast QLD. Styling: Lizzie MacMillan, Hair and Makeup: Amanda Barnard, Photo: TWAM/Justine Walpole

Top scientist excluded from DNA reform

The forensic scientist who exposed all of the wrongdoing in Queensland’s DNA lab has been excluded from helping on the reform process.

David Murray and Hedley Thomas

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/hedley-thomas/page/3