The reliability of DNA Testing in determining the Parentage of a child in Australia

According to the recent survey, estimates of 3,000 Parentage Testing are being conducted in Australia yearly. The Family Court reported that it issued around 150 orders of Parentage Testing to family related disputes. These statistics suggests that most Parentage Testing takes place outside of the order of the Family Court.

Parentage Testing services are accessible in a number of ways in Australia. Any party who wants to apply for a test can communicate any laboratory or testing facilities directly. They may also arrange a test with a licensed medical practitioner or through their lawyer, in case of disputes before the Court.

There is a three-tiered system of DNA Parentage Testing in Australia. Tests may be conducted through the Family Law Regulatory Framework, Laboratories own policies that covers certain features of testing not included in any Regulatory Framework or outside of any Regulatory Framework. Laboratories may cover the Motherless Testing, guidelines regarding which parent may give consent in behalf of the child, counselling and the persons who will receive the result of the test.

DNA Test is now considered to be the most accurate way of determining Parentage. A properly conducted DNA test can indicate the positive band of the parent with their child. DNA bands are suggested to be different for each person and chances that two people will display all the remaining bands of their child is 30 million is to 1, with the exception of identical twins.

The reliability of a Parentage Test is vital. And testing must be conducted by accredited testing laboratories to strengthen the scientific reliability of the result. If the testing is haphazardly conducted, irreparable damage may happen to a party in case. From the collection of samples, to the transmittal to the laboratory testing centers, the Medical Personnel who will conduct the test must maintain a high degree of diligence and care in handling the test. A high standard should be set in conducting DNA Testing as the consequence of unreliable test may result to an undeserved judgment by the Court.