An inquiry into issues at Queensland’s state DNA lab continues. 

Queensland's Forensic and Scientific Services is facing intense scrutiny as a commission of inquiry delves into the adoption of an automated DNA extraction method. 

The inquiry - launched following revelations that changes at the lab had thrown the validity of legal cases into question - has revealed a troubling discrepancy.

It found that the lab’s automated system yielded over 90 per cent less DNA compared to the traditional manual process.

Forensic scientist Kirsty Wright, who advocated for the inquiry, criticised the lab's practices as “appalling and reckless”. 

She raised questions about the scientists' decision to proceed with the flawed automation, despite being aware of the yield issues. 

Wright pointed out that; “To introduce an incomplete method, that was demonstrated to not be performing, and apply those on precious crime scene samples, they must have known that some of those samples would fail”.

The inquiry was initiated in October by Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, following Wright's efforts and opposition demands. 

As a result of the inquiry, around 7,000 serious crime and sexual assault cases have been reviewed.

The lab had already been under the microscope due to a government review conducted in 2022, which highlighted significant failures. 

Former president of the Court of Appeal Walter Sofronoff delivered a damning report in December, identifying a substantial reduction in the number of crime scene samples being tested for DNA, raising concerns about potential miscarriages of justice.

The scrutiny on Project 13, a 2008 report authored by seven scientists, has revealed a lack of clarity regarding its origin and authorship. 

None of the seven scientists could recall who exactly authored the report or where the final version might be. 

Expert witness Professor Bruce Budowle found this situation problematic, noting; “No one took responsibility for this report”. 

“In fact, it didn't seem like anybody wrote the report, it just sort of materialised.”

The inquiry aims to address concerns and rebuild public confidence in the forensic lab, but it is expected to be a lengthy process, both technically and culturally. 

Kirsty Wright expressed her belief that implementing the 123 recommendations made in Walter Sofronoff's report would take many years, involving both technical and cultural transformations.

Adjunct Professor Linzi Wilson-Wilde, who heads the state-run facility, acknowledged that while progress had been made in addressing the backlog of samples, hiring fully qualified forensic scientists remained a challenge.