The state government has ordered a six-month Commission of Inquiry to probe DNA testing systems at the state-run laboratory. 

There are concerns hundreds of sexual assault cases have gone unsolved because police were told for several years crime scenes didn’t have enough DNA evidence to be tested.

The failures first came to light after Queensland Police requested additional testing on samples that had been deemed “insufficient DNA for further processing”.

Further testing revealed a success rate of 30 per cent on DNA samples in relation to “all crime classes” and a 66 per cent success rate for DNA detection for sex offences.

It led to concerns of “genuine issues” as Queensland Police launched a re-examination of cases dating back to the start of 2018.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today announced in a “very big step”, a Commission of Inquiry has been ordered, to be headed up by retired judge Justice Walter Sofronoff.

She said the inquiry will have broader terms of reference than a re-examination conducted by Queensland Police.

“It is clear to me that nothing short of a full, open and rigorous Commission of Inquiry can restore confidence in DNA testing in this state,” she told the media.

“This inquiry is needed, it is just and I look forward to seeing the recommendations of that inquiry.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said a threshold that has been in place since 2018 will be removed so every DNA sample will undergo profiling, and potentially further concentrated testing.

Image: Annastacia Palaszczuk / Twitter