logo
Troubled DNA lab boss resigns after being suspended

Troubled DNA lab boss resigns after being suspended

Yahoo6 days ago
A troubled forensic testing boss has resigned a month after being suspended over "contamination issues".
Forensic Science Queensland director Linzi Wilson-Wilde received a show cause notice for her removal by the Liberal National government in June following another setback.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington made the call after learning the beleaguered lab had paused routine DNA testing for seven days following the discovery of "contamination issues".
Ms Frecklington on Friday announced Dr Wilson-Wilde had resigned from her position effective immediately.
She said Forensic Biology Executive Manager Natasha Mitchell would continue acting in the director role until a permanent appointment was made.
"The Crisafulli government is firmly committed to the future of Forensic Science Queensland," Ms Frecklington said in a statement.
The LNP government did not disclose the nature of the contamination issues but routine DNA testing has since resumed.
Forensic Science Queensland was established in 2023 after two inquiries exposed major failings over a number of years at the lab.
They included a "fundamentally flawed" automated testing method that may have led to offenders potentially escaping conviction for nine years from 2007.
Dr Wilson-Wilde was appointed director in September 2024 after serving as interim chief executive.
She received the role from the former Labor government prior to it entering caretaker mode before the 2024 state election.
The LNP government chose Dr Kirsty Wright to oversee forensic lab reforms when it won the October 2024 election.
The LNP launched reforms after it emerged more than 40,000 of the state's most serious cases were "under a forensic cloud" following the back-to-back inquiries.
It moved amendments in parliament in April to ensure current DNA sample retention was extended from three to seven years to tackle the retesting backlog, which may take years.
It was a recommendation of Dr Wright, who will oversee a DNA Lab Review and hand down recommendations with renowned FBI expert Bruce Budowle.
Forensic scientist Dr Wright spoke out about the lab, triggering the two inquiries held in as many years.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Councils accuse territory government of overt racism
Councils accuse territory government of overt racism

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Councils accuse territory government of overt racism

A territory government has been accused of overt racism and promoting policies that harm Indigenous people. Aboriginal land councils have taken aim at the Northern Territory government, saying it has failed to work with them to reduce crime and boost economic development. But NT Aboriginal Affairs Minister Steve Edgington has refuted the claims, saying the government was working towards empowering Indigenous communities. After a two-day meeting in Darwin, the four NT land councils have urged the Country Liberal Party government to stop ignoring them and come to the table to address key issues. They include growing Indigenous incarceration rates and improved economic opportunities to benefit Aboriginal communities. Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan told reporters outside the NT parliament on Thursday there was overt racism in government policies. "Let me be very honest - there is, no buts about it," he said. "Unfortunately, it's still happening. We want to eliminate that, we want a genuine partnership ... at the moment there's none." He said Aboriginal people wanted to be part of the territory's economic development but it was "appalling" government ministers were failing to work with or listen to the land councils to promote that. Since coming to power on an anti-crime platform in 2024, the government has toughened bail laws and provided hundreds of new prison beds as more Aboriginal youths are locked up. It has also lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10 years. Mr Ryan said the law and order funding would be better spent on providing programs to keep Aboriginal youths out of jail. He said the land councils were also united in wanting to work with the NT police commissioner to address racism within the force. Central Land Council deputy chair Barbara Shaw said racism against Aboriginal people began when the ships arrived in 1788 "but we're still standing here today". "If the government would only listen to us and work with us in genuine partnership in tackling crime in the Northern Territory, we wouldn't be stacking and racking in our prisons," she said. Ms Shaw said the government should listen to the elders to take children back onto Country to be with family and keep them out of jail. Mr Edgington said the government was working with the four land councils and other Indigenous bodies on Closing the Gap initiatives. "We are also working in partnership with Aboriginal people to empower communities that want a greater say," he said. Mr Edgington said the NT and federal governments were making major investments in remote communities including building new homes and boosting health and other critical services. However, an Aboriginal justice agency has called for federal funding for remote policing and other justice operations to be suspended until the NT government changes its hardline approach to crime. North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency acting CEO Anthony Beven said the Commonwealth should put conditions on the table to say "we shouldn't be locking young kids up". NT Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said Mr Beven's funding suspension demand was "utterly absurd".

23yo Aussie found dead in Thailand
23yo Aussie found dead in Thailand

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

23yo Aussie found dead in Thailand

A young Australian man has been found dead in a Thai hotel room reportedly one day before he was set to return home. According to local outlet 'Phuket News', police found the 23-year-old man in his hotel bed in Tambon Thepkrasatths wearing a black T-shirt and still holding his mobile phone. Phuket News reported there were no signs of a disturbance, no evidence of a break-in, and no visible injuries indicating foul play, although police did observe that his elbow and wrist had been bandaged. Friends told authorities these injuries were the result of a recent motorbike accident. An investigation officer with the local station received a call at around 10am from a nurse at Thalang Hospital, reporting the death of the 23-year-old. Officers later identified the man and confirmed that he had checked into the hotel on Sunday July 20 and was scheduled to check out on July 24. Police said the Australian Consulate in Phuket had been notified and a forensic doctor attended to examine the scene. The man's body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. Police said they were continuing their investigation. The Phuket News is withholding the man's name pending confirmation that his next of kin have been notified. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were unable to comment until those further details were released.

'Didn't do this': NBL player's DV charges withdrawn
'Didn't do this': NBL player's DV charges withdrawn

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

'Didn't do this': NBL player's DV charges withdrawn

Former Cairns Taipans guard Jackson Makoi is free to move on with his life and his basketball career after he was cleared of assaulting and choking a woman. The NBL player, who is also known as Anyiarbany Makoi, had pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault and two counts of intentionally choking a person with recklessness. He was due to fight the domestic violence charges in a contested hearing at Blacktown Local Court on Thursday, but the charges were dismissed after the complainant failed to show for a second time. Makoi offered to agree to an apprehended violence order without admission of guilt, which was accepted by the prosecutor. The order includes standard conditions that the basketball player not assault, threaten, or stalk the woman or anyone with whom she is in a relationship. The charges were subsequently dismissed. "Jackson's had his date in court," his lawyer Peter Agoth said. "He was in the position to have everything dismissed including the AVO but he made a peace offering." Mr Agoth said the charges had been a "huge impediment" to the basketballer's life and he was relieved with the outcome. "He did stick to what he said from the start, which is 'I didn't do this'," the lawyer said. "He was very happy it's finally behind him and he can finally move on with his life." The charges stemmed from an incident that was alleged to have occurred on November 11, 2023 in western Sydney while the basketballer was contracted to the Sydney Kings. The Oxley Park resident was stood down by the Cairns Taipans after the accusations came to light and his contract has since expired. He is not on the team roster for the upcoming season, but is understood to have a number of opportunities on the horizon. Makoi played for South Sudan at the Paris Olympics and has averaged 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 11 NBL games last season. He received his first big break when he signed with the Kings as a development player in 2022. Makoi played 15 games in the 2022-23 NBL season for the Kings during the club's championship-winning campaign, but he ruptured the ACL in his right knee before the finals. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store