Wave of case issues expected in mass DNA retesting
Mass DNA re-testing at a beleaguered lab is likely to reveal issues with more cases, a state government warns amid reforms to keep the forensic samples for longer.
Queensland's state-run lab has been the subject of two full-scale inquiries into its operations since testing issues were first raised following the death of 23-year-old Shandee Blackburn, who was stabbed more than 20 times on her way home from work in Mackay in 2013.
The Liberal National government 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.
A DNA testing "debacle" was brought to light by the inquiries, a failure that may have led to offenders escaping conviction over nine years from 2007.
The LNP government on Tuesday moved amendments in parliament to ensure current DNA sample retention was extended from three to seven years to tackle the re-testing backlog, which may take years.
Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said further high profile cases will emerge from the re-testing after the amendment was moved.
"Who knows how many other Shandee Blackburns are out there. I hope none but I know that there will be many," she told parliament on Tuesday.
DNA material taken from suspects between June 14, 2025 and June 14, 2027 will be kept for up to three years under the amendment.
Lab samples would have been destroyed if the LNP government had not acted urgently, Ms Frecklington told parliament.
"This will help ensure that investigations into serious criminal offences can be conducted with all available information and will help preserve the confidence in our criminal justice system," she said.
After issues were raised following Ms Blackburn's death, forensic scientist Kirsty Wright spoke out about the government-run lab and triggered two inquiries in as many years.
The first was in 2022 led by Walter Sofronoff KC, and found many DNA samples went untested and others were incorrectly ruled insufficient.
Retired Federal Court judge Annabelle Bennett led the second in 2023, which found an automated extraction method yielded up to 92 per cent less DNA than the manual technique.
The LNP government chose Dr Wright to oversee forensic lab reforms when it won the October 2024 election.
The amendment on Tuesday was a recommendation of Dr Wright, who is overseeing a DNA Lab Review and handing down recommendations with renowned FBI expert Bruce Budowle in mid-2025.
Ms Frecklington said the LNP government had also delivered $6 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to allow victims' cases impacted by the testing backlog to be finalised sooner.
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The Advertiser
38 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Muslim preacher 'never' meant to insult 'vile' Jews
An Islamist preacher has denied calling Jewish people "vile and treacherous" in controversial sermons to boost his online profile after attracting the ire of Hindus and Christians. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad has been accused of racial discrimination during a series of fiery sermons from November 2023, which have racked up thousands of views online. He was quizzed in the Federal Court on Wednesday about a 2022 lecture in which he said Christmas greetings were worse than congratulating someone for murder. The preacher denied suggestions the speech was "highly offensive" and he delighted in the controversy by repeating it on his social media page. Peter Braham SC, acting for two Jewish plaintiffs, made those accusations and suggested it was one example of how Mr Haddad previously sought to amplify his views. He pointed to Mr Haddad's 2023 description of Jewish people as "descendants of pigs and monkeys" and Hindus as "worshippers of cows and monkeys". In a post on social media in response to the backlash from the Hindu community, the preacher ate a beef burger and announced he "didn't want to have a beef with anyone". Mr Haddad, who is also known as Abu Ousayd, told the Federal Court he knew his initial comments caused offence but was demonstrating resilience in the face of threats. He rejected Mr Braham's suggestions he revelled in the attention or that he was trying to become an online personality by making offensive remarks about other religious groups. "You were trying to attract attention by posting racist content online, weren't you?" Mr Braham asked. "No," the preacher responded. Mr Haddad denies breaching anti-discrimination laws and claims he was delivering historical and religious lectures on events from the Koran to contextualise the war in Gaza. He said he was speaking about "Jews of faith" rather than ethnicity while trying to explain "what the Israeli government is doing to the people of Gaza" is "not something new". The preacher said his description of Jews as a "vile people" was aimed at the actions of the Israeli government and the use of "treacherous" was a reference to events in the Koran. He likewise attributed his characterisations of Jewish people as "mischievous", "murderous" and "rebellious" to Islamic texts. "I never set out to insult Jews," Mr Haddad said. He told the court his speeches were intended for a small private Muslim audience rather than the broader community. The preacher admitted he knew the allegedly anti-Semitic lectures were being recorded and they would be published online but said he was not responsible for uploading them. His lawyer argued the allegedly racist lectures had been selectively edited and would not have been seen by Jewish people if not reported on by the media. Yet Mr Braham said he would argue that "everything that happens at the Al Madina Dawah Centre is designed and calculated for public consumption and to create or attract controversy". His clients, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, are suing Mr Haddad over the allegedly racist speeches. They want the published lectures - which they say are offensive and could incite violence towards Jews - taken down and Mr Haddad banned from making similar comments. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An Islamist preacher has denied calling Jewish people "vile and treacherous" in controversial sermons to boost his online profile after attracting the ire of Hindus and Christians. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad has been accused of racial discrimination during a series of fiery sermons from November 2023, which have racked up thousands of views online. He was quizzed in the Federal Court on Wednesday about a 2022 lecture in which he said Christmas greetings were worse than congratulating someone for murder. The preacher denied suggestions the speech was "highly offensive" and he delighted in the controversy by repeating it on his social media page. Peter Braham SC, acting for two Jewish plaintiffs, made those accusations and suggested it was one example of how Mr Haddad previously sought to amplify his views. He pointed to Mr Haddad's 2023 description of Jewish people as "descendants of pigs and monkeys" and Hindus as "worshippers of cows and monkeys". In a post on social media in response to the backlash from the Hindu community, the preacher ate a beef burger and announced he "didn't want to have a beef with anyone". Mr Haddad, who is also known as Abu Ousayd, told the Federal Court he knew his initial comments caused offence but was demonstrating resilience in the face of threats. He rejected Mr Braham's suggestions he revelled in the attention or that he was trying to become an online personality by making offensive remarks about other religious groups. "You were trying to attract attention by posting racist content online, weren't you?" Mr Braham asked. "No," the preacher responded. Mr Haddad denies breaching anti-discrimination laws and claims he was delivering historical and religious lectures on events from the Koran to contextualise the war in Gaza. He said he was speaking about "Jews of faith" rather than ethnicity while trying to explain "what the Israeli government is doing to the people of Gaza" is "not something new". The preacher said his description of Jews as a "vile people" was aimed at the actions of the Israeli government and the use of "treacherous" was a reference to events in the Koran. He likewise attributed his characterisations of Jewish people as "mischievous", "murderous" and "rebellious" to Islamic texts. "I never set out to insult Jews," Mr Haddad said. He told the court his speeches were intended for a small private Muslim audience rather than the broader community. The preacher admitted he knew the allegedly anti-Semitic lectures were being recorded and they would be published online but said he was not responsible for uploading them. His lawyer argued the allegedly racist lectures had been selectively edited and would not have been seen by Jewish people if not reported on by the media. Yet Mr Braham said he would argue that "everything that happens at the Al Madina Dawah Centre is designed and calculated for public consumption and to create or attract controversy". His clients, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, are suing Mr Haddad over the allegedly racist speeches. They want the published lectures - which they say are offensive and could incite violence towards Jews - taken down and Mr Haddad banned from making similar comments. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An Islamist preacher has denied calling Jewish people "vile and treacherous" in controversial sermons to boost his online profile after attracting the ire of Hindus and Christians. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad has been accused of racial discrimination during a series of fiery sermons from November 2023, which have racked up thousands of views online. He was quizzed in the Federal Court on Wednesday about a 2022 lecture in which he said Christmas greetings were worse than congratulating someone for murder. The preacher denied suggestions the speech was "highly offensive" and he delighted in the controversy by repeating it on his social media page. Peter Braham SC, acting for two Jewish plaintiffs, made those accusations and suggested it was one example of how Mr Haddad previously sought to amplify his views. He pointed to Mr Haddad's 2023 description of Jewish people as "descendants of pigs and monkeys" and Hindus as "worshippers of cows and monkeys". In a post on social media in response to the backlash from the Hindu community, the preacher ate a beef burger and announced he "didn't want to have a beef with anyone". Mr Haddad, who is also known as Abu Ousayd, told the Federal Court he knew his initial comments caused offence but was demonstrating resilience in the face of threats. He rejected Mr Braham's suggestions he revelled in the attention or that he was trying to become an online personality by making offensive remarks about other religious groups. "You were trying to attract attention by posting racist content online, weren't you?" Mr Braham asked. "No," the preacher responded. Mr Haddad denies breaching anti-discrimination laws and claims he was delivering historical and religious lectures on events from the Koran to contextualise the war in Gaza. He said he was speaking about "Jews of faith" rather than ethnicity while trying to explain "what the Israeli government is doing to the people of Gaza" is "not something new". The preacher said his description of Jews as a "vile people" was aimed at the actions of the Israeli government and the use of "treacherous" was a reference to events in the Koran. He likewise attributed his characterisations of Jewish people as "mischievous", "murderous" and "rebellious" to Islamic texts. "I never set out to insult Jews," Mr Haddad said. He told the court his speeches were intended for a small private Muslim audience rather than the broader community. The preacher admitted he knew the allegedly anti-Semitic lectures were being recorded and they would be published online but said he was not responsible for uploading them. His lawyer argued the allegedly racist lectures had been selectively edited and would not have been seen by Jewish people if not reported on by the media. 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He was quizzed in the Federal Court on Wednesday about a 2022 lecture in which he said Christmas greetings were worse than congratulating someone for murder. The preacher denied suggestions the speech was "highly offensive" and he delighted in the controversy by repeating it on his social media page. Peter Braham SC, acting for two Jewish plaintiffs, made those accusations and suggested it was one example of how Mr Haddad previously sought to amplify his views. He pointed to Mr Haddad's 2023 description of Jewish people as "descendants of pigs and monkeys" and Hindus as "worshippers of cows and monkeys". In a post on social media in response to the backlash from the Hindu community, the preacher ate a beef burger and announced he "didn't want to have a beef with anyone". Mr Haddad, who is also known as Abu Ousayd, told the Federal Court he knew his initial comments caused offence but was demonstrating resilience in the face of threats. 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They want the published lectures - which they say are offensive and could incite violence towards Jews - taken down and Mr Haddad banned from making similar comments. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Offer denied for ex-Liberal leader to avert bankruptcy
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Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Offer denied for ex-Liberal leader to avert bankruptcy
An 11th-hour offer from a defamed MP to partially defer an ousted state Liberal leader's $2.3 million legal bill in exchange for guaranteed preselection has fallen over. Victorian Liberal Moira Deeming wrote to former opposition leader John Pesutto, his successor Brad Battin and Victorian Liberal president Philip Davis on Sunday with a series of demands to spare Mr Pesutto bankruptcy. Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis who gatecrashed a Melbourne rally she attended in 2023. A bankruptcy notice was served to Mr Pesutto on Friday, leaving him 21 days to pay the debt, sign up to a payment arrangement or face bankruptcy. Bankruptcy would force his exit from Victorian parliament, setting up an expensive by-election in his marginal state seat of Hawthorn in Melbourne's east. In her letter to the trio, seen by AAP, Mrs Deeming said she was "dismayed" the state party was considering an approach from Mr Pesutto to meet his financial obligations to her. "It is because of the extraordinary support that I have received from rank-and-file members that I make this offer with the intention that the funds they have raised to fight the Labor Party remain solely directed to that important objective," she wrote. Her demands included Mr Pesutto paying the roughly $760,000 he has raised and deferring the remainder of his debt until March 30, 2027. A special resolution would have had to be passed to endorse preselection for her upper house seat so she could "enjoy the right to serve my community without any internal distractions which is something denied me to date". She also requested the party, through Mr Battin, pen an unreserved written and public apology to her and appoint of an independent person from outside the state to review internal dispute resolution mechanisms. The offer was non-negotiable and expired at 5pm on Tuesday after the parties were unable to agree. "I have suffered through a gruelling two and half years where almost every offer I made to negotiate a settlement was rejected," she wrote. "This is my final attempt to spare the Liberal Party further harm and to afford Mr Pesutto, and his family, the dignity that was denied to me, my husband and my children." One senior Liberal told AAP it was "outrageous" to attempt to use the pair's long-running dispute to secure preselection. Liberal preselection is traditionally completed through a vote of rank-and-file members, with the process for the next state election in November 2026 expected to begin from September. AAP has also been told the money raised by Mr Pesutto was conditional on the party lending him the rest, about $1.5 million, which he has vowed to pay back with interest. The party's administrative committee is expected to meet to discuss Mr Pesutto's request on June 19. Mrs Deeming and Mr Pesutto were contacted for comment.
