Queensland's state-run forensic lab is scrambling to hire more scientists to handle a massive backlog involving more than 30,000 confirmed cases.
However Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has denied reports it would take more than a decade to clear the cases embroiled in the bungle, saying not all affected criminal prosecutions turn on DNA evidence.
The backlog is the by-product of a damning inquiry into the state's forensic testing regime, which found many DNA samples went untested and the lab incorrectly ruled others "insufficient".
The debacle continues to plague the state's justice system with the government confirming tens of thousands of cases awaiting analysis and a review of all major cases since 2015, and sexual assault cases from 2008.
"We do expect that that is about 30,000 cases but not all of those cases will have turned on DNA evidence," Ms Fentiman told reporters on Wednesday.
"Not all of those cases will have DNA samples that need to be referred to Forensic Science Queensland."
Forensic Services CEO Linzi Wilson-Wilde said clearing the backlog would be a challenge.
"Given the circumstances, we do have some backlogs but we are working through those backlogs," Professor Wilson-Wilde said.
"All priority cases are being conducted within the time frames agreed with the Queensland Police Service, which is a matter of weeks.
"Other cases are being worked through as we as we go through them."
While clearing the backlog remained a priority, with the government even looking for assistance from other countries such as the UK, the QFS continued to meet deadlines for ongoing and current cases.
"I can say we are aiming and prioritising to meet our court dates," she said.
"Where there is a court case, we are endeavouring to meet those dates where we can fold the trials, so ongoing cases shouldn't be dealt with those that are under investigation."
Prof Wilson-Wilde said the lab continued "heavily recruiting" but would need more than 40 forensic scientists to rebuild its service.
Finding them was "not a possibility", she admitted.
"However we can find qualified scientists that we can train up to forensic scientists and that will take a few months but we can get them on and get them active within our case processes."
Prof Wilson-Wilde said there had already been significant interest, with three management positions already filled.
Shadow attorney-general Tim Nicholls said the government had shown no transparency over the issue.
"Now we are finding out just how high the mountain is that has to be climbed so people can have confidence in Queensland's criminal justice system," he told reporters.
Mr Nicholls said the government seeking assistance overseas was "totally not a good thing".
"Why are we now spending money on testing laboratories in the United Kingdom when that money could have been spent here in Queensland fixing up the problems with the lab so we didn't have the problems we now face?"
The inquiry, headed by Walter Sofronoff KC, revealed lab managers focused on speed rather than accuracy to the detriment of quality science, with issues first raised in 2021 stretching back years.
