Two independent scientists called in from Victoria and New Zealand to inspect Queensland’s forensic lab have told an inquiry into botched DNA testing that lab staff had “divided allegiances and a lack of trust”.
Wrapping up its final day of hearings, the $6 million commission of inquiry into DNA testing has ended six weeks of evidence and will take a break before hearings resume in a few weeks.
Victoria Police Forensic Service Department executive director Rebecca Kogios and Heidi Baker from New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute testified before the inquiry today.
The pair were tasked with taking a “deep dive” to assess if the current operations and procedures at the Queensland lab were in accordance with “best practice”.
Their report found that despite various attempts made by management over the years to improve culture at Queensland Health’s Forensic and Scientific Services (FSS) through the use of external consultancies, there remained a “negative culture” and “fragmented work group”.
“[Workplace culture is] not conducive to best practice science, insofar as it inhibits free discussion and continual improvement,” the report found.
However it also noted the cohort they spoke with were “highly skilled, articulate and intelligent across all levels of work”.
The multimillion-dollar probe came after inquiry head, commissioner Walter Sofranoff KC, released an interim report that accused the state’s forensic lab of making “untrue” statements about the quality of DNA tests.
It revealed that due to the bungled testing, scientists then dismissed huge numbers of samples potentially enabling perpetrators who had committed crimes to go free.
At the time, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the results were “shocking”.
The government vowed to retest every DNA sample taken in the state over the last four years.
From day one, the inquiry heard evidence of incompetence and failures.
Two suspended scientists, team leader Justin Howes and managing scientist Cathie Allen were slammed for “standing by” while Queensland police were misled about DNA testing, a move described by counsel assisting Michael Hodge KC as a “complete failure” of responsibility.
Giving evidence, one scientist after another told the inquiry about a “toxic culture” where there was a “fear of retribution” if they spoke up.
There were claims of “document shredding”, an incident that had become known as “bin gate” amid a deterioration of the working and personal relationship between whistleblower scientist Amanda Reeves and Ms Allen.
The inquiry heard Ms Reeves said she was “freaking out” when she first realised there were discrepancies in tests of sperm samples but nothing was being done to correct the problem.
The inaction was despite Queensland police Inspector David Neville earlier complaining to the lab about his suspicion “that we were missing out potentially on profiles or evidence”.
