The Queensland scientists charged with analysing DNA from major crimes worked in a toxic environment where issues between employees were allowed to fester, an inquiry has been told.
The probe, led by former judge Walter Sofronoff, is examining the state-run lab's 2018 decision not to test samples with tiny amounts of DNA as thoroughly as possible.
Human resources expert Therese O'Connor worked in the lab's library as a Health Support Queensland business partner in 2018 to provide specialist advice to employees and management.
As part of the role, employees would come and speak to her confidentially.
Asked about the culture in evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday, Ms O'Connor said "it would be what we described as a toxic workplace".
"It's a very unhappy, very stressful, dysfunctional working place," she said.
"There were underlying issues that had never been resolved.
"When you get a work environment where these issues are allowed to fester and build ... the emotional investment in that produces a lot of animosity between certain parties."
From what she had been told and documents she had seen, Ms O'Connor said she believed some of the trouble started when employees Cathie Allen and Amanda Reeves both went for a vacant managing scientist role.
"Cathie was successful and it's my understanding that from then the working relationship between the two of them, and the personal relationship between the two of them, deteriorated significantly," she said.
The inquiry's interim report, handed down last month, exposed serious shortfalls centred on a failure to test samples under a certain DNA threshold.
Some of the samples could provide partial or full DNA profiles and Queensland police are in the process of reviewing criminal cases potentially affected between 2018 and June 2022.
The inquiry is now looking at the systems and methods used to collect samples in sexual assault cases in Queensland.
NSW specialist in forensic medicine, associate professor Kathleen Kramer, prepared a report examining the issue for the commission.
In evidence via video link on Tuesday, Prof Kramer said that from the information she has seen, it appears Queensland does not have thorough guidelines for examiners collecting samples.
"In other states and territories, there's a...specific document written for the examiners to guide you about what to do," she said.
"What samples do I actually take, and where do I take them from, under what time frames and in what manner?"
Prof Kramer also raised a concern about not having early evidence kits in a state the size of Queensland.
The kits are useful for collecting evidence when undergoing a full examination requires significant travel.
The inquiry continues.
