DNA-testing condemned

BY BILL MASON

BRISBANE — Four prisoners who had sought to prevent Queensland Police from taking compulsory DNA samples have had their legal bid dismissed in the Supreme Court on April 27. They plan to appeal.

The prisoners' argued that they should not be forced to give samples because they had committed minor crimes, not indictable offences. Prisoners' Legal Service co-ordinator Karen Fletcher condemned the judge's decision.

Fletcher also condemned the plan recently proposed by Peter Lindsay, federal Liberal MP for the Townsville-based seat of Herbert, to DNA test all Australians from birth. Lindsay claimed mandatory DNA testing should be introduced to counter increasing crime. "The plan represents a massive infringement of civil liberties, heading towards a police state", Fletcher said.

"Millions of pieces of genetic information are included in any DNA database, including information people don't know themselves. Our goal is to draw the line where police can take samples by force. The police are using DNA-testing of prisoners as a precedent for a huge attack on the civil rights of the whole population", she said.

From GLW issue 446