An official inquiry into Queensland’s state-run DNA laboratory continues. 

The inquiry before Walter Sofronoff KC has been going through testing issues and workplace culture at Queensland Health's Forensic and Scientific Services (FSS).

It was launched after serious fears emerged that crimes were going unsolved, after a change of processes meant the lab no longer fully tested some samples containing very small amounts of DNA.

A change was made in 2018 after the lab gave the Queensland Police Service (QPS) an options paper about testing, in an action that may have resulted in lines of police investigation or prosecution into criminal cases being “unnecessarily abandoned”.

The change may also have meant that scientists began giving untrue statements about the detection of DNA in crime scene samples.

In last week’s sessions, it was revealed that a senior Queensland Health manager was warned by a forensic scientist in a private meeting that it was “possible criminals are getting off scot-free in Queensland”.

Scientist Ingrid Moeller met with Lara Keller, the acting executive director of Queensland Health's Forensic and Scientific Services (FSS) in March this year, and allegedly discussed concerns with scientific processes, including issues relating to problems with DNA testing of major crime scene samples and sperm detection in alleged sexual assault cases.

Ms Keller admitted to the inquiry that she failed to understand “urgent” police concerns about DNA testing of major crime scene samples when they were first raised with her late last year, because although she had scientific training, she had no experience in DNA profiling.

When Ms Keller met with Health Minister Yvette D'Ath in June to discuss the problems, she failed to mention that police had been briefing her about the issues for almost six months, the inquiry heard.

In later sessions, one of the lab’s managers was slammed for an alleged “complete failure” to respond to DNA testing flaws, and “standing by” while police were misled. 

A senior manager broke down after being repeatedly accused of lying to the commission of inquiry during day two of her evidence. She is one of two managing scientists who were stood down in September after a damning interim report shed light on the issue. 

The inquiry continues this week.