DNA evidence was mishandled in thousands of criminal cases in Queensland, Australia, due to severe maladministration and flawed testing methods at the state's forensic lab, calling into question the integrity of the state's criminal justice system and the reliability of the technology involved.

An official inquiry revealed that DNA evidence was mishandled by the forensic lab in numerous cases. It also found that the lab had focused on speed over accuracy, leading to widespread failures in properly testing DNA samples for years. 

The inquiry also found that STMmix, the method used for DNA testing, was found to have critical flaws, raising questions about the validity of the forensic evidence produced. 

The flawed practices may have led to offenders escaping conviction and could affect the outcomes of numerous cases. The fracas was seen to highlight the broader impact of the forensic lab's failings on the criminal justice system, including the potential for wrongful convictions and the undermining of public confidence in forensic evidence.