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The National Institute of Forensic Science Australia (NIFS) was established in 1992 as a National Common Police Service, providing support to the whole forensic science community. In 2008, NIFS was incorporated into the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency and became known as ANZPAA NIFS. In this structure, ANZPAA NIFS is governed by the ANZPAA Board comprising the Police Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand. In 2013, the ANZPAA Board initiated an independent review of ANZPAA NIFS, conducted by the Honourable Frank Vincent AO QC; the report of which was released in 2014. Stemming from the Review, a new governance framework was developed, which allowed for participation in the funding and governance of ANZPAA NIFS by all forensic service providers of Australia and New Zealand and led to the creation of the Australia New Zealand Forensic Executive Committee. This created a new operating landscape for ANZPAA NIFS and led to numerous changes in how forensic science is advanced at the cross-jurisdictional level in Australia and New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In 2010 the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency National Institute of Forensic Science (NIFS) established a project to set up a sustainable mechanism for the development and maintenance of standards, across a broad science and technology base that is relevant to general law enforcement, and the forensic science community. The project includes four core forensic standards covering the collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting of forensic evidence and discipline specific standards. One specific standard identified covers specifications regarding the manufacture of products used to collect biological material for forensic analysis. This is significant as contamination events caused by staff during the manufacturing process have resulted in investigations being hampered by non-case related DNA profiles obtained during case work analysis. The core standards continue to be developed as Australian Standards, however the contamination minimisation standard is being progressed through ISO. The development of the standards and potential impact is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]