Forensics work ban relaxed as public sector wages dispute continues

Work bans to withhold forensic volume crime reports will be relaxed, with the State Government saying it is a victory in the ongoing public sector wages dispute.

CPSU Tasmanian Secretary, Tom Lynch. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

WORK bans to withhold forensic volume crime reports will be relaxed, with the State Government saying it is a victory in the ongoing public sector wages dispute.

Union members at Forensic Science Service Tasmania will provide police with reference numbers for positive test results from tomorrow and allow officers to retrieve results on request.

Earlier this month the Community and Public Sector Union authorised industrial action that saw DNA analysis reports linking offenders to the scene of minor property crimes to be withheld from police.

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CPSU general secretary Tom Lynch said the weekly release of reference numbers was a “minor modification” to their escalating industrial action.

He said the change was at the request of Tasmania Police who had indicated it had been difficult to know which tests had positive results.

“It would never have got to this point if the Government had responded to the industrial action in the first place,” Mr Lynch said.

“Our members will make sure we continue to do the right thing by Tasmanians.”

He said the union would be announcing more industrial action later this week which would continue until the Government negotiates in good faith and relents on its 2 per cent cap on wage increases.

Police Minister Michael Ferguson claimed over the weekend the work bans had resulted in 175 reports being withheld from police, including 50 with individuals linked to crimes and 23 containing useful results for an investigator.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson speaks during question time in parliament. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

The Minister was yesterday afternoon trumpeting the “backflip” as an admission by the union their tactics were letting crooks off the hook.

“[The] stunning backflip by Tom Lynch and the CPSU is an overdue admission they knew from the start their industrial tactics were stopping police from catching criminals and risking the safety of Tasmanians,” he said.