States signing DNA sharing deal

Australia is a step closer to a national DNA database with Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT signing the national information-sharing agreement.

Only NSW and Victoria are yet to sign up, and they have promised to do so.

Federal Justice Minister David Johnston said matching DNA databases across jurisdictions would give investigators far greater ability to catch offenders who have moved interstate.

“For too long our efforts to bring about a national DNA database have been frustrated by legal and operational hurdles. I am delighted that after seven years we have pushed past those obstacles,” he said in a statement.

Under the new arrangements, DNA profiles from state and territory databases will be uploaded and compared on a national database.

That will be managed by CrimTrac, the federal government-run organisation which coordinates national sharing of criminal information.

Senator Johnston said representatives of the Australian federal government, Queensland, ACT and Western Australia signed the DNA agreement at the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management meeting in Wellington, New Zealand.

South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania have already signed. NSW and Victoria have undertaken to follow suit as soon as required changes are made to their legislation.

“With full DNA matching across Australia, more and more DNA matching success stories should become commonplace,” Senator Johnston said.

“Recently a Northern Territory man who had a DNA sample taken from him in relation to a drink driving offence, pleaded guilty to a 1993 rape that he committed in Queensland, after his profile was matched through the national DNA database.”

“I urge those jurisdictions, who are not currently matching with other jurisdictions to start doing so as soon as possible. The Australian public deserve no less.”

© 2007 AAP

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