Forensic Science Queensland boss Linzi Wilson-Wilde suspended amid new contamination issues in DNA labs

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has moved to suspend the head of Forensic Science Queensland amid new revelations of contamination issues at the troubled DNA labs.

Forensic Science Queensland chief executive Linzi Wilson-Wilde. Picture: Liam Kidston

• Qld’s ‘fatally flawed’ DNA lab

Forensic Science Queensland director Linzi Wilson-Wilde has been suspended amid revelations of new contamination issues in the state’s troubled DNA labs.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington on Friday afternoon moved to suspend Dr Wilson-Wilde, pending a show cause notice for her removal.

“This action was taken following advice I received today that FSQ was placing a general pause on routine DNA testing after contamination issues were identified,” Ms Frecklington said.

The extent of the contamination was not clear, but it is understood the issue may have been ongoing for some time.

“FSQ’s pause in operations will occur for a preliminary period of seven days and this will be reviewed by FSQ after this period to determine the next steps,” the Attorney-General said.

“The government has been advised FSQ will continue to progress urgent matters in a limited capacity during this time and that this can be done with appropriate controls.”

The former Labor government appointed Dr Wilson-Wilde director in September and hailed her as “one of the leading forensic scientists in Australia and New Zealand”.

Dr Linzi Wilson-Wilde leaves after giving evidence at the DNA inquiry. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

Her suspension is another major blow to the lab as a second review, led by forensic scientist Kirsty Wright and former Federal Bureau of Investigation expert Bruce Budowle, examines the progress of reviewing more than 40,000 major crime cases.

Premier David Crisafulli on Saturday said he backed Ms Frecklington’s decisive action after she was briefed 24 hours previous over new concerns of contamination, following a multitude of issues within the laboratory.

Mr Crisafulli said she was given advice on Friday morning before informing Queenslanders that another concern of contamination had emerged.

“She acted, and as she found out, Queensland has found out, and that work will be done,” Mr Crisafulli said.

He warned a “culture of cover-ups” within the laboratory would disappear after years of systematic failure.

“The failure of the DNA lab has rocked the state’s justice system to the core, and rather than try to fix it, what we’ve seen in the last few years from the government has been to cover it up,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Last month the government announced a $50m package to send DNA samples from rape kits, most major crime cases and unidentified human remains overseas to help tackle the state’s DNA backlog.

The two-year program will focus on clearing a backlog of more than 2300 DNA samples in Queensland’s state-run forensic laboratories.

It is currently taking 445 days, or 63 weeks, for major crime samples to be processed and returned.

Ms Frecklington last month said outsourcing was the next necessary step to “clean up … one of the greatest failures of a justice system anywhere in the world”.

On Friday afternoon the Attorney-General insisted the government “remains firmly committed to fixing the longstanding issues at Forensic Science Queensland”.

Originally published as Forensic Science Queensland boss Linzi Wilson-Wilde suspended amid new contamination issues in DNA labs