The fallout from Queensland's forensic crime testing debacle is tipped to last for years, with specialist sexual assault services already bracing for an increase in calls from victim survivors re-traumatised by this week's interim report.
A police task force will re-examine thousands of major crime investigations, including many involving sexual violence, over questions about the adequacy of DNA evidence.
Queensland Sexual Assault Network secretariat Angela Lynch has called on the Palaszczuk government to increase funding for "already inundated" sexual violence services, given the report's "major impact".
"The system that was set up to provide safety for victims of sexual violence has failed them," Ms Lynch said.
"The state of Queensland does have a duty of care to now provide some real wrap-around support. Victim survivors should be at the forefront of all decision making."
Two senior staff members at Queensland Health's Forensic and Scientific Services were yesterday suspended pending the outcome of a commission of inquiry into DNA testing.
The suspension follows a damning interim report by former Queensland Court of Appeal president Walter Sofronoff KC, who found that between early 2018 and June this year, laboratory scientists gave "untrue" or "misleading" witness statements about the detection of DNA in some crime scene samples.
Mr Sofronoff found that under an agreement between Queensland Health and the Queensland Police Service, crime scene samples that did not contain quantities of DNA above a certain threshold were not processed further and were reported in witness statements as having "insufficient DNA for analysis".
He said this was despite the possibility of obtaining a partial or full DNA profile from those samples.
'Immediate support' needed as cases set to be reopened
The findings have cast a cloud over thousands of major crime investigations, including sexual assault cases.
Some cases are expected to be reopened.
Ms Lynch said specialist sexual assault services would need increased government support to cope with the fallout.
"We logically would envisage that there is going to be increased demand on our services that are already chronically underfunded," Ms Lynch said.
"We absolutely need immediate support but also longer-term support for clients as they progress through these processes.
"Some of these things are going to take years, possibly, especially if you're going to be reopening cases and going through a justice system that is also itself under pressure, and increased pressure, because of these findings."
A spokesman for the Department of Justice and Attorney-General said it was liaising directly with relevant services to "understand demand pressures and provide advice".
"The Department of Justice and Attorney-General anticipate that there will be an increased call on victim support services, and sexual assault services to respond to queries and provide additional support to those who may be re-traumatised by the announcement of these findings," he said.
Calls for a victims' commissioner
Solicitor Julie Sarkozi, of the Women's Legal Service Queensland, has called for the appointment of a victims' commissioner, given Mr Sofronoff's findings.
"At the moment, there's actually no system of review," Ms Sarkozi said.
"A victim can turn up to a police station and the police can say: 'We've decided not to prosecute, we've decided not to investigate … and the answer is because there wasn't enough DNA.'
"There's nowhere for that victim to say: 'Can I get someone else to actually review that decision?'
Ms Sarkozi, who works almost exclusively with sexual violence survivors, said she was not surprised by Mr Sofronoff's findings.
"I see the attitudes and the way that the legal system works, and it is so weighted against the victims," she said.
"You can bet your bottom dollar if they had a victims' commissioner who was advocating for them … they would have exercisable and enforceable rights."
