"This is the most advanced and effective crime-fighting tool ever provided to police" (Sydney Morning Herald 5/4/00)

"DNA is not a forensic panacea for solving crime. Its loose use is more likely to open a Pandora's box of appeals and legal challenge and expose criminal investigations to serious abuse."(The Daily Telegraph 8/4/00)

"In the Northern Territory, the first jurisdiction to enact the laws, in mid-1999, police are authorised to take mouth swabs from all prisoners, all adults or juveniles facing imprisonment and anyone reasonable suspected of carrying out an offence."(Australian 15/4/00)

"The chances of a mismatch using the Australian system of DNA profiling is remote - one in 360 million - say statistical and forensic science experts."(Sydney Morning Herald 7/4/00)

"DNA testing allows people to be linked to crime scenes with only a miniscule possibility of error. Computer technology means that this link can be discovered even if the police have no cause to suspect a person's involvement in a crime. Such 'cold hits' have the potential to revolutionise crime detection." (Sydney Morning Herald 7/4/00)

"Australia is contemplating introducing a DNA database. There are, however, important questions to be asked: who is going to be on this DNA database and will one's privacy be protected?" (Sydney Morning Herald 21/4/00)