❓ A WA parliamentary question from 2000 inquires about compulsory DNA testing for suspects in rape and homicide cases, and the use of voluntary DNA testing. The Minister's response indicates that compulsory testing is not in place, but future legislation is being considered, and voluntary testing is already in use.
AnsweredQoN 714Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is DNA testing of all suspects involved in rape and homicide cases compulsory in Western Australia? (2) If no to (1), why not? (3) Does the Government have plans to introduce compulsory DNA testing of suspects in rape and homicide cases? (4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 September 2000
Response time
7 days
1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
(2) If no to (1), why not? (3) Does the Government have plans to introduce compulsory DNA testing of suspects in rape and homicide cases? (4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
(3) Does the Government have plans to introduce compulsory DNA testing of suspects in rape and homicide cases? (4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
(4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
(2) If no to (1), why not? (3) Does the Government have plans to introduce compulsory DNA testing of suspects in rape and homicide cases? (4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
(3) Does the Government have plans to introduce compulsory DNA testing of suspects in rape and homicide cases? (4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
(4) Does the Western Australian police Service have plans to utilise voluntary DNA testing to narrow the field of suspects in rape and homicide cases, as recently done in Wee Waa, New South Wales? Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
Answered on 20 September 2000 The Minister Replied: 1. No 2. The Western Australia Police Service does not have any legislative powers or authority to collect DNA samples from suspects. 3. The Western Australia Police Service Legal Services Unit has made recommendations to the Parliamentary Draftsman that future DNA legislation empower police officers to collect DNA samples from convicted prisoners, arrested persons, suspects and volunteers. 4. The Western Australia Police Service currently uses, and plans to continue using, DNA samples obtained voluntarily from members of the community. In certain circumstances, such as the Wee Waa case, mass screening on a voluntary basis may be considered by the Police Service.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.