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Current The Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in Queensland
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This $6 million inquiry was ordered after problems with the state run forensics laboratory were exposed by the Australian's investigative podcast in to the Shandee Blackburn murder.
Queensland Police have reopened rape cases dating back to 2018 after discovering profiles could have been generated from over 66% of samples numbering in to the thousands, the lab initially claimed had "insufficient DNA for further processing".
The inquiry would consider the culture at the lab and whether it was adequately funded and resourced.
www.theguardian.com
Queensland Police have reopened rape cases dating back to 2018 after discovering profiles could have been generated from over 66% of samples numbering in to the thousands, the lab initially claimed had "insufficient DNA for further processing".
The inquiry would consider the culture at the lab and whether it was adequately funded and resourced.
Queensland premier ‘shocked’ by review into state’s DNA lab as police retest thousands of samples
Annastacia Palaszczuk says immediate action needs to be taken after report reveals potential testing failures at the state’s forensic crime lab
BFew
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SHTF day in QLD
www.smh.com.au
Thousands of criminal cases under cloud after ‘untrue’ forensic lab statements
An inquiry, called by the Queensland government in June, has recommended swift and sweeping action after finding DNA samples may not have been tested in enough detail.
BFew
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'Speaking ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the interim report, the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, confirmed the government could not afford to wait for the final report, due in December, before acting.Queensland premier ‘shocked’ by review into state’s DNA lab as police retest thousands of samples
Annastacia Palaszczuk says immediate action needs to be taken after report reveals potential testing failures at the state’s forensic crime lab
“I am shocked at the findings… I am incredibly concerned,” Palaszczuk told reporters on Tuesday.
“There will be action that will have to be taken straight away.”
The government has ordered Queensland police urgently retest all samples with “insufficient” or “no DNA detected” taken between February 2018 and June 2022.'
Straight away action should have been taken ages ago, when the current issue was first brought to light.
Around Episode 7 time of the Shandee's Story podcast in late Dec 2021, 10 months ago.
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They might have to hire more staff, looks like a big job and we might expect prosecutions.
MSB ROYS
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About time! Should have been at least 6 months ago though.
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BFew
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IMO, both the QLD Health Minister and QLD Premier have clearly demonstrated that they are not fit for purpose/office.
Even if the QLD Health Minister and Premier were being spun a load of BS and being lied/misled by senior bureaucrats, it's their job and responsibility to detect and see through any lies and BS, and act very quickly when the stakes are high.
QLD and the rest of Australia can't afford to wait for the next QLD State Election, due in October 2024, before acting.
IMO, the QLD Government culture of concealment and cover-up needs to be dismantled now. Starting with the QLD Premier's colleagues removing her and the QLD Health Minister from Office today.
Obviously, the anti-Labor main stream media is unlikely to be calling for QLD Labor Political heads to role until much closer to the next QLD State Election, when it is too late to effectively change Political leaders, and will cause maximum damage to QLD labor.
The longer the current QLD Premier and Health Minister remain in their roles, or in Parliament, the more opportunities that provides their opposition (political and other oppositions) to attack QLD Labor and the Australian "Labor" brand in general across all 3 levels of Australian Government.
The Editorial in the Australian today on the matter, barely criticises the QLD ruling Politicians over the matter.
''Queensland authorities must ask deep questions about why it has taken the pressure of journalistic exposure to force the medical and forensic bureaucracy to confront failings that had been long known.'
'Mr Sofranoff’s recommendations are the latest instalment in a series of backflips''
A readers online comment to the above that sums up what many are likely feeling about this catastophe.
'Shandee’s Story: They knew it was dubious but didn’t say a word'
HEDLEY THOMAS
AN HOUR AGO SEPTEMBER 21, 2022'
'Victims of crime stood no chance. The scientific managers even bamboozled heads of the Queensland police into accepting a substandard, unforgivable model of DNA detection.
And they, or more senior bureaucrats in charge, succeeded in spinning the Health Minister, Yvette D’Ath, and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk'
'All those boffins and managers who tried to silence Kirsty Wright, who worked to undermine the concerns we were raising in Shandee’s Story, are arguably complicit in the attempted cover-up.
Why have other highly qualified scientists, who are still employed in the lab having adopted processes which they must have known were defective and certain to let criminals walk, not spoken up before?'
'What about the senior police with their own longtime misgivings? The state’s Ombudsman? The Crime and Corruption Commission? The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions?
If the watchdogs and pillars of the system have failed too, Walter Sofronoff’s inquiry might tell us why.
In 2005 after a commission of inquiry run by former Supreme Court judge Geoff Davies into the dysfunction in Queensland Health, he described “a culture of concealment”. The problems were ingrained. Systemic. History repeats itself. Poor DNA detection rates from the DNA lab have been talked about behind closed doors by cops and lawyers and scientists for years.
They knew the lab was dodgy, perhaps broken, but they couldn’t get behind the screens to work it all out. They didn’t speak up.'
Even if the QLD Health Minister and Premier were being spun a load of BS and being lied/misled by senior bureaucrats, it's their job and responsibility to detect and see through any lies and BS, and act very quickly when the stakes are high.
QLD and the rest of Australia can't afford to wait for the next QLD State Election, due in October 2024, before acting.
IMO, the QLD Government culture of concealment and cover-up needs to be dismantled now. Starting with the QLD Premier's colleagues removing her and the QLD Health Minister from Office today.
Obviously, the anti-Labor main stream media is unlikely to be calling for QLD Labor Political heads to role until much closer to the next QLD State Election, when it is too late to effectively change Political leaders, and will cause maximum damage to QLD labor.
The longer the current QLD Premier and Health Minister remain in their roles, or in Parliament, the more opportunities that provides their opposition (political and other oppositions) to attack QLD Labor and the Australian "Labor" brand in general across all 3 levels of Australian Government.
The Editorial in the Australian today on the matter, barely criticises the QLD ruling Politicians over the matter.
'Setting the record straight first step on road to justice
EDITORIAL
12:00AM SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 '''Queensland authorities must ask deep questions about why it has taken the pressure of journalistic exposure to force the medical and forensic bureaucracy to confront failings that had been long known.'
'Mr Sofranoff’s recommendations are the latest instalment in a series of backflips''
A readers online comment to the above that sums up what many are likely feeling about this catastophe.
'Shandee’s Story: They knew it was dubious but didn’t say a word'
HEDLEY THOMAS
AN HOUR AGO SEPTEMBER 21, 2022'
'Victims of crime stood no chance. The scientific managers even bamboozled heads of the Queensland police into accepting a substandard, unforgivable model of DNA detection.
And they, or more senior bureaucrats in charge, succeeded in spinning the Health Minister, Yvette D’Ath, and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk'
'All those boffins and managers who tried to silence Kirsty Wright, who worked to undermine the concerns we were raising in Shandee’s Story, are arguably complicit in the attempted cover-up.
Why have other highly qualified scientists, who are still employed in the lab having adopted processes which they must have known were defective and certain to let criminals walk, not spoken up before?'
'What about the senior police with their own longtime misgivings? The state’s Ombudsman? The Crime and Corruption Commission? The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions?
If the watchdogs and pillars of the system have failed too, Walter Sofronoff’s inquiry might tell us why.
In 2005 after a commission of inquiry run by former Supreme Court judge Geoff Davies into the dysfunction in Queensland Health, he described “a culture of concealment”. The problems were ingrained. Systemic. History repeats itself. Poor DNA detection rates from the DNA lab have been talked about behind closed doors by cops and lawyers and scientists for years.
They knew the lab was dodgy, perhaps broken, but they couldn’t get behind the screens to work it all out. They didn’t speak up.'
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BFew
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Charles could have done a DNA test that was analysed at the QLD Government DNA testing lab between 2018 and June 2022, and been fairly confident of getting a result confirming that he was not part lizard, if he was lucky enough to get any result at all.
(No-one should be above the law).
'Despite Mr Dorante-Day’s attempts to sue the new King into co-operating, Charles is highly unlikely to volunteer to a DNA test and cannot be compelled to take one by a British judge, as he is now essentially above the law as king.'
(No-one should be above the law).
'Despite Mr Dorante-Day’s attempts to sue the new King into co-operating, Charles is highly unlikely to volunteer to a DNA test and cannot be compelled to take one by a British judge, as he is now essentially above the law as king.'
BFew
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BFew
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Sounds like there was probably negligent/inadequate oversight of the lab for years.
'Two senior employees at Queensland’s besieged DNA laboratory have been immediately stood down after damning findings from a public inquiry were released on Tuesday.
Senior government sources have confirmed to The Australian that the two employees have been stood down while the royal commission inquiry continues its investigation into practices at the lab.'
'Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she remained confident in results coming out of the lab, which now had “additional oversight” from the department.'
'Two senior employees at Queensland’s besieged DNA laboratory have been immediately stood down after damning findings from a public inquiry were released on Tuesday.
Senior government sources have confirmed to The Australian that the two employees have been stood down while the royal commission inquiry continues its investigation into practices at the lab.'
'Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she remained confident in results coming out of the lab, which now had “additional oversight” from the department.'
BFew
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More info from the article which has been updated since the earlier version today, with a further update in the Australian's live Political news section.
'The commission did not assign blame to any individuals in its interim report.'
'Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the employees were stood down on Wednesday morning.'
“The director general (of health) has made that decision, they have been stood down pending the outcome,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk would not say why the staff were stood down, or their positions at the forensics unit.
She would not explain why the government chose to take action against the staff, given Mr Sofronoff did not assign blame in his interim report.'
'Palaszczuk explains lab stand downs: 'No reason to delay'
'Ms Palaszczuk said the terminations came on the advice of Walter Sofronoff, the former president of the Queensland Court of Appeal, who has been engaged to table a report on the matter.''“My director-general Rachael Hunter today is convening a meeting with the Police Commissioner, with the head of the justice department, and the head of the health department, to work out those resourcing mechanisms that are needed to make sure that this section of the report is acted upon swiftly.'
MSB ROYS
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BFew Thanks for your diligent posting of articles related to this case. It will be interesting to see where the blame games gets to! Hopefully we will actually find out the truth. I was shattered to find that scientists inside this organisation did not have enough understanding and courage to correct this fundamental error (not running standards, benchmarking etc as I discussed in the previous thread).
A fundamental problem in Australia and similar countries is that we very rarely get scientifically and/or medically trained people in decision making roles. I mean they can switch a person anytime who may have never studies a science subject past say Year 11 to be a minister. Even people with degrees in science have a long way to go to even understand most research, but at least they would have the basis to learn.
A fundamental problem in Australia and similar countries is that we very rarely get scientifically and/or medically trained people in decision making roles. I mean they can switch a person anytime who may have never studies a science subject past say Year 11 to be a minister. Even people with degrees in science have a long way to go to even understand most research, but at least they would have the basis to learn.
BFew
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Further updates to this article tonight.
With the 2 stood down named.
'The senior manager at Queensland’s troubled DNA laboratory who tried to hose down damaging allegations from a whistleblower scientist has been stood down. Justin Howes, team manager at the government-run forensics lab, has been suspended on full pay alongside managing scientist Catherine Allen.
The pair was stood down by Queensland Health Director-General Shaun Drummond on Wednesday morning, following damning interim findings of a public inquiry.'
'Ms Allen and Mr Howes have retained lawyers independent of Queensland Health for the six-month inquiry, with public hearings to begin on Monday.'
'They were contacted for comment through solicitors McCullough Robertson.'
'The decision to suspend the two managers was not recommended by Mr Sofronoff.'
'Asked on Tuesday whether she had confidence in Mr Howes and Ms Allen, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said: “There has been no findings in relation to any individual; I am satisfied there is sufficient oversight happening at (the lab)”. The next morning, the two were stood down.'
'the podcast series Shandee’s Story reveal how Mr Howes and others moved to assure stakeholders last year that revelations from DNA expert Kirsty Wright were not concerning.'
'Days later, Mr Howes wrote to the department’s human resources team about using a public service “code of conduct” against Dr Wright, who left the lab 15 years prior. “I am curious about the CoC back in 2007,” he wrote. “If a staff member left QH, are they still obliged to behave in line with the code of conduct? “I am not sure how this could be controlled, but we have a former staff member who left in 2007 who is speaking quite terribly about the lab to the media. And has called for staff – as written in The Australian on 27 November – to contact her confidentially if they have something to say.”'
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Started today, scheduled to run for six days.
Speaking outside the inquiry, forensic scientist Kirsty Wright said day one had already demonstrated a desire "to get to the truth".
"I think this inquiry is the most important event the criminal justice system in Queensland has ever seen and I look forward to further findings," Dr Wright said.
"I think there's a lot more to come and I'm quite scared about the extent of the trouble that's been in the lab.
"I'm quite concerned if this is day one and if this is already what we're hearing, I'm really concerned about what's to come."
www.abc.net.au
Speaking outside the inquiry, forensic scientist Kirsty Wright said day one had already demonstrated a desire "to get to the truth".
"I think this inquiry is the most important event the criminal justice system in Queensland has ever seen and I look forward to further findings," Dr Wright said.
"I think there's a lot more to come and I'm quite scared about the extent of the trouble that's been in the lab.
"I'm quite concerned if this is day one and if this is already what we're hearing, I'm really concerned about what's to come."
Forensic scientist 'quite scared' about extent of DNA testing lab failures as public hearings begin
Dr Kirsty Wright describes Queensland's commission of inquiry into forensic DNA testing as the "most important event" the state's criminal justice system has ever seen.
It is a bit concerning that there were obviously failures with DNA testing possible because of the misuse of equipment in the Shandee Blackburn case but other cases at this time are not being looked at because the DNA thresholds had not been lowered.Started today, scheduled to run for six days.
Speaking outside the inquiry, forensic scientist Kirsty Wright said day one had already demonstrated a desire "to get to the truth".
"I think this inquiry is the most important event the criminal justice system in Queensland has ever seen and I look forward to further findings," Dr Wright said.
"I think there's a lot more to come and I'm quite scared about the extent of the trouble that's been in the lab.
"I'm quite concerned if this is day one and if this is already what we're hearing, I'm really concerned about what's to come."
Forensic scientist 'quite scared' about extent of DNA testing lab failures as public hearings begin
Dr Kirsty Wright describes Queensland's commission of inquiry into forensic DNA testing as the "most important event" the state's criminal justice system has ever seen.
I don't know how in the 21st century DNA testing could be so bad that you can't get DNA from fresh blood.
A while ago I was doing research if there were earlier issues with Queensland DNA labs. The one thing I found was that the Australian Medical Association wanted the DNA labs to be funded by the Queensland police because it was taking funding away from Health. I am sure there is allocation of funding for police DNA. It makes me wonder whether providing services for another department are a lesser priority than providing it for Health Services such as Genetic testing.
BFew
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Livestream | The Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in Queensland
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Hedley on Credley
'It might be months': DNA retesting paused in Queensland at police request, inquiry hears
The inquiry heard Queensland police had concerns a blanket approach to concentrating the samples could make a profile unusable.
www.abc.net.au
DNA testing on certain cases is pausing because of fear that they still wouldn't get a result as the sample would be too diluted.
"A scientist had come forward saying that that blanket policy is risking samples at the lower end of the range … because those samples, if you concentrated them to 35 microlitres, they are still too dilute to get a profile. So, in essence, if you run it, you have now wasted half of the sample," he said.
Under questioning, Senior Sergeant Stephen Foxover confirmed he was aware Queensland Health had made a decision on Friday to halt testing of samples in the "DNA insufficient for further processing" range following QPS's request.
Asked how long he expected the pause to last, he replied: "It's too early for me to say … we're waiting for some information on that."
BFew
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Shandee's Legacy Episode 1: Blame Game - Shandee's Story
Following the shocking revelations of bungling, secrecy and misconduct within Queensland’s DNA lab exposed in journalist Hedley Thomas’ podcast Shandee’s Story, a major royal commission-style inquiry into the fiasco gets underway in a Brisbane court, headed by retired judge Walter Sofronoff KC...
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Testing of certain DNA samples has been paused due to fears evidence could be lost, an inquiry into Queensland's forensics laboratory has heard.
The inquiry before Walter Sofronoff KC is investigating the 2018 changes that meant crime scene samples ruled to have "DNA insufficient for further processing" were not processed further at the state-run lab.
The lab resumed processing those samples earlier this year.
But the inquiry on Friday heard Queensland Police had requested a pause after concerns a decision made last month, imposing a "blanket" approach towards concentrating samples, could exhaust the DNA.
www.abc.net.au
The inquiry before Walter Sofronoff KC is investigating the 2018 changes that meant crime scene samples ruled to have "DNA insufficient for further processing" were not processed further at the state-run lab.
The lab resumed processing those samples earlier this year.
But the inquiry on Friday heard Queensland Police had requested a pause after concerns a decision made last month, imposing a "blanket" approach towards concentrating samples, could exhaust the DNA.
'It might be months': DNA retesting paused in Queensland at police request, inquiry hears
The inquiry heard Queensland police had concerns a blanket approach to concentrating the samples could make a profile unusable.
www.abc.net.au
BFew
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Next episode is out now.
omny.fm
Shandee's Legacy Episode 2: Evidence Destruction - Shandee's Story
We reveal deep concerns that the lab managers put a new, untried and ill-conceived testing system in place immediately after the public inquiry was called. Was it a deliberate strategy of sabotage to try to cover up the mistakes of the past? Or merely accidental - the product of poor judgment...
omny.fm
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MSB ROYS
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OMG, it is even worse than I first thought.
'We've seen sperm under the microscope': Scientist says concerns raised about DNA results 'weren't taken seriously'
Forensic scientist Alicia Quartermain tells the inquiry her concerns were sparked after sexual assault swabs with sperm were being reported as having insufficient DNA for further processing, prompting her to rework samples that later gave usable profiles.
www.abc.net.au
A few snippets from the article here about the environment, just don't get her started about the Stationary Cupboard.
"I didn't feel comfortable knowing that we'd seen sperm under the microscope, but we were reporting DNA insufficient for further processing."
Ms Quartermain said that about 18 months ago she started to rework samples judged as having "DNA insufficient for further processing" – otherwise known as DIFP samples – as "a matter of routine", particularly in sexual assault cases.
She found she had "gotten good, usable DNA profiles" from some samples.
"I feel that reporting these samples as DIFP [DNA insufficient for further processing] is technically incorrect," the email said, noting the introduction of new, more sensitive testing equipment.
"I strongly feel that we should be processing a lot of these samples these days."
"I feel like things that should be taken very seriously aren't taken as seriously as they should be and then I wonder what the motive for that is.
"Why isn't he as concerned about this as I am?
"We want to try and get the best DNA profiles that we can for the community, for police, and for some reason, I'm not allowed to do what I want to do with these samples.
"The flow on of that is that if I take something to Justin, I don't get his support, then why continue to take things to Justin?"
Ms Quartermain said although she loved her job, she felt she was not trusted.
BFew
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Sounds more like a DNA destruction graveyard, than a testing lab.
I'd have hoped that with
1. QLD being the backyard of a certain ex-copper who once worked in the sex offenders squad with the National Crime Authority, whose Ministerial responsibilities last year included National Security and the AFP, and who is now leader of the Federal Opposition
2. Our ex-PM being the son of a NSW Copper
that there would have been some attempt, led by the Feds and championed by Dutton, to set some National standards and processes for forensic DNA management/testing.
What's the point of having all these Politicians coming from some form of Legal or Law Enforcement background, if they are not prepared to use there contacts, knowledge and skills to proactively exercise them from a Governance point of view.
'5:45PM OCTOBER 11, 2022'
'Rusty chisels and new testing equipment at Queensland’s forensics laboratory may have triggered a disastrous 50 per cent failure rate in detecting DNA in bones.'
Angelina Keller, a forensic bone specialist, believes scientists‘ ability to identify victims from skeletal remains has been compromised by three major changes to processes at the government-run lab since 2019.
Her concerns about testing quality were so grave, she told a royal commission-style inquiry, that older bones with low levels of DNA should be sent to interstate labs for testing until problems in Queensland’s lab could be fixed.
Ms Keller, who has identified victims from crocodile attacks, plane crashes and cold case murders during her 16 years at the lab, said bone testing almost always returned a single-source DNA profile.
In November 2020, she began noticing samples containing more than one person’s DNA, which was a “concerning” red flag.'
She believed rusty chisels could be contaminating samples.
“I thought it was very unusual,” she told the inquiry on Tuesday. “Currently I would say it is occurring a lot; previously, it would occur rarely. We have a problem and we have to find out what is going wrong.”
Ms Keller began tracking a high failure rate in detecting usable DNA profiles in an excel spreadsheet, shown to the commission.
“I haven’t actually done the statistics but it was already concerning me greatly as each case has come along,” she said.
Commissioner Walter Sofronoff KC noted: “Well a 50 per cent failure rate is not very good, is it?”
A new cleaning procedure and two new pieces of equipment were introduced between July 2019 and February 2021 which Ms Keller told the inquiry was “a fairly short period of time”.
“When you change more than one thing around the same time, it gets very difficult to pinpoint what the actual issue is,” she said.
A new way to clean the lab’s bone crushers, chisels and saws was introduced by senior scientist Allan McNevin in July 2019.
Ms Keller said Mr McNevin had “no experience in bones” and did not consult with other bone experts at the lab before deciding equipment would be run through a dishwasher with bleach and ethanol.
In May this year, Ms Keller noticed chisels used to chip away bones for DNA testing were “rusty due to the new cleaning regime”.
“Rusty chisels could be retaining DNA and contributing to the contamination of bone and teeth samples,” she said. “In my opinion, this equipment may not be effectively cleaned in this way.”
Queensland Health lawyer Glen Rice KC suggested Mr McNevin did not implement new cleaning technique “on some whim”, given bleach and ethanol were used to clean equipment in other parts of the lab.
...'
I'd have hoped that with
1. QLD being the backyard of a certain ex-copper who once worked in the sex offenders squad with the National Crime Authority, whose Ministerial responsibilities last year included National Security and the AFP, and who is now leader of the Federal Opposition
2. Our ex-PM being the son of a NSW Copper
that there would have been some attempt, led by the Feds and championed by Dutton, to set some National standards and processes for forensic DNA management/testing.
What's the point of having all these Politicians coming from some form of Legal or Law Enforcement background, if they are not prepared to use there contacts, knowledge and skills to proactively exercise them from a Governance point of view.
'Rusty chisels ‘caused DNA fail rate’
by LYDIA LYNCH'5:45PM OCTOBER 11, 2022'
'Rusty chisels and new testing equipment at Queensland’s forensics laboratory may have triggered a disastrous 50 per cent failure rate in detecting DNA in bones.'
Angelina Keller, a forensic bone specialist, believes scientists‘ ability to identify victims from skeletal remains has been compromised by three major changes to processes at the government-run lab since 2019.
Her concerns about testing quality were so grave, she told a royal commission-style inquiry, that older bones with low levels of DNA should be sent to interstate labs for testing until problems in Queensland’s lab could be fixed.
Ms Keller, who has identified victims from crocodile attacks, plane crashes and cold case murders during her 16 years at the lab, said bone testing almost always returned a single-source DNA profile.
In November 2020, she began noticing samples containing more than one person’s DNA, which was a “concerning” red flag.'
She believed rusty chisels could be contaminating samples.
“I thought it was very unusual,” she told the inquiry on Tuesday. “Currently I would say it is occurring a lot; previously, it would occur rarely. We have a problem and we have to find out what is going wrong.”
Ms Keller began tracking a high failure rate in detecting usable DNA profiles in an excel spreadsheet, shown to the commission.
“I haven’t actually done the statistics but it was already concerning me greatly as each case has come along,” she said.
Commissioner Walter Sofronoff KC noted: “Well a 50 per cent failure rate is not very good, is it?”
A new cleaning procedure and two new pieces of equipment were introduced between July 2019 and February 2021 which Ms Keller told the inquiry was “a fairly short period of time”.
“When you change more than one thing around the same time, it gets very difficult to pinpoint what the actual issue is,” she said.
A new way to clean the lab’s bone crushers, chisels and saws was introduced by senior scientist Allan McNevin in July 2019.
Ms Keller said Mr McNevin had “no experience in bones” and did not consult with other bone experts at the lab before deciding equipment would be run through a dishwasher with bleach and ethanol.
In May this year, Ms Keller noticed chisels used to chip away bones for DNA testing were “rusty due to the new cleaning regime”.
“Rusty chisels could be retaining DNA and contributing to the contamination of bone and teeth samples,” she said. “In my opinion, this equipment may not be effectively cleaned in this way.”
Queensland Health lawyer Glen Rice KC suggested Mr McNevin did not implement new cleaning technique “on some whim”, given bleach and ethanol were used to clean equipment in other parts of the lab.
...'
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