Eureka Prize for Excellence in Forensic Science

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:16): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General inform the council about the recent awarding of the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Forensic Science?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (15:16): I thank the member for his question. I would be most happy to do so. The 2025 Australian Museum Eureka Prize Award ceremony was held in Sydney in early September. The Eureka Prizes are the country's most comprehensive national science awards, honouring excellence across the areas of research, innovation, leadership, science engagement and school science.

After 3½ decades, the awards have celebrated the creativity, dedication and collaboration that drive innovation and deliver solutions to some of the world's greatest challenges. The Eureka Prize for Excellence in Forensic Science was awarded this year to South Australia's very own Forensic Science SA and Flinders University for their work on producing a smart PCR machine. The project team developed a DNA amplification system that improves the quality of genetic data from degraded or low-level samples. This increases the chances of recovering usable results for forensic investigations and other scientific applications.

It was led by a forensic science team of Professor Adrian Linacre, PhD candidate Caitlin McDonald, with Associate Professor Russell Brinkworth and Dr Duncan Taylor from Forensic Science SA. I send my congratulations to Forensic Science SA and Flinders University for their exceptional achievement in progressing this world-leading innovation and the longstanding collaboration that Forensic Science SA and Flinders University has to the benefit of forensic sciences right across Australia and indeed the world.