Dreamworld operator confirms it has been charged over ride deaths
The owners of Dreamworld have confirmed they have been charged over the Thunder River Rapids Ride tragedy that claimed four lives almost four years ago, and are facing penalties of nearly $4 million.
In a statement to the ASX on Tuesday morning, Ardent Leisure acknowledged that three charges had been filed against it by the Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor.
The 2016 tragedy at Dreamworld claimed the lives of Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett and Roozi Araghi.
Sydney mother Cindy Low, Canberra mother Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi were killed on October 25, 2016, when the ride malfunctioned.
The raft carrying the four victims and an empty raft collided at the end of the ride's conveyor belt, causing the riders' raft to flip over.
In the statement on Tuesday, Ardent acknowledged the three charges were serious.
“All three charges are category 2 charges pursuant to section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) and each charge carries a maximum penalty of $1.25 million,” the statement said.
The statement said Ardent had made numerous safety changes since the fatal malfunction which it maintained would prevent such tragedies occurring in the future.
“The new leadership team is committed to continuing to improve and enhance safety systems and practices with the aim of becoming a global leader in theme park safety and operations.”
The Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor is expected to issue a statement on Tuesday clarifying details of the charges.
After lengthy inquest hearings at Southport in 2018, Coroner James McDougall handed down a scathing report on February 20, 2020, into the tragedy.
The report said it was "very fortunate" nobody else was killed on the ride before the 2016 incident.
Mr McDougall said there was a "systemic failure" by the theme park in relation to "all aspects" of safety.
“There is no evidence that Dreamworld ever conducted a proper risk assessment of the ride in its 30 years of commission,” he said.
Mr McDougall said it was "unfathomable" that hazard management fell to ride operators and staff who identified risks, rather than through formal engineering inspections.
The lax approach to safety, Mr McDougall said, made such a tragedy much more likely.
"It was simply a matter of time. That time came on October 25, 2016," he said.
As a final recommendation of the exhaustive 300-page report, Mr McDougall asked Queensland’s Office of Industrial Relations to investigate whether to lay charges against Ardent Leisure.