Ministers agree to DNA evidence report
23/11/2011 9:43:20 AMMinister for Home Affairs and Justice Brendan O’Connor today welcomed the agreement of State and Territory Ministers to the recommendations of the final report by the Standing Committee on Law and Justice’s DNA Evidence Working Group.
Speaking at today’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice meeting, Mr O’Connor said each jurisdiction had agreed to continue to monitor the use of DNA evidence in criminal proceedings and how it is understood in the court room.
“Today’s agreement by Ministers will ensure each jurisdiction considers how to promote fairness in criminal prosecutions involving DNA evidence,” Mr O’Connor said.
The DNA Evidence Working Group has also undertaken to work with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency and the National Institute of Forensic Science (ANZPAA NIFS) and Standards Australia on the development of national standards for the collection and interpretation of forensic evidence.
“Forensic evidence can be a powerful and persuasive form of evidence in criminal prosecutions,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The development of these standards will assist in ensuring the reliability of that evidence and the integrity of our justice system.”
Mr O’Connor also signalled his intention to introduce legislation to implement recommendations of the 2010 DNA Forensic Procedures, Further Independent Review of Part 1D of the Crimes Act 1914.
The Review handed down 32 recommendations to:
- Improve the way DNA is collected, used and analysed for law enforcement purposes
- Increase accountability and privacy protections, and
- Improve processes for the role of DNA in convicting the guilty and exonerating the innocent.
The legislation will focus on the need to balance the rights of individuals with the public interest in using DNA for criminal investigations. The DNA Forensic Procedures, Further Independent Review of Part 1D of the Crimes Act Report is available at www.ag.gov.au
Media Adviser: Maria Hawthorne 0407 015 986 Maria.Hawthorne@ag.gov.au