Twists and turns abound

THE Dreamworld inquest is like a theme park ride – changing direction as one moment the finger points at mechanical breakdown, the next the focus turns to potential human failure.

What is not in dispute is just after 2pm on October 25, 2016, a pump stopped on the Thunder River Rapids Ride, a raft was stuck on a conveyor and another hit it and flipped.

Canberra tourists Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 32, his partner Roozbeh Araghi, 38, and Gosford resident Cindy Low, 42, were killed instantly. No recommendation has been made to lay any charges of criminal negligence.

Yesterday for the first time it was revealed that two children, Ms Low’s 10-year-son Kieran and Ms Goodchild’s 12-year-old daughter Ebony, survived by climbing out of the raft. This missing part of the narrative only emerged at the end of cross examination of forensic crash investigator Senior Constable Steven Cornish.

Neither the statements of witnesses nor exhibits have been made public at this stage. This is possibly out of respect for family members sitting in the gallery, given the graphic detail, but it explains why the story is emerging in bit parts.

After two days, what is glaringly obvious relates to the intent of questions of lawyers at Court 17 at the Southport Courthouse.

Bruce Hodgkinson, SC, for Ardent Leisure, quickly established that the ride was inspected by engineers on the morning before the tragedy and there had been daily, weekly and monthly checks of its components.

Craig Eberhardt, for park safety officers, asked Sen-Const Cornish about how the water would drop very quickly when a pump stopped, and was told “about 200mm in 20 seconds”.

The operational procedure for the main operator was a shutdown as soon as the loss occurred of one or more pumps.

Mr Eberhardt suggested there was plenty of time between the pump stopping and collision of rafts to press emergency buttons. Sen-Const Cornish said he could not answer that question.

But he agreed the pump had failed in excess of a minute and Mr Nemeth was aware of it.

Mr Eberhardt asked if there had been an “automatic cut out” when one or both of the pumps failed, which would have stopped the conveyor, might the accident have been prevented.

“If there was an electrical safety interlock, yes,” Sen-Const Cornish replied.

Mr Eberhardt: “Do you also agree that had Peter Nemeth pressed the conveyor stop button on the control panel as soon as he realised the water level had dropped, this accident would not have happened?’’

Sen-Const Cornish: “I’m unsure of as to when in the scheme of things he knew the water level had dropped.’’

Mr Eberhardt: “Okay, assuming that he had more than nine seconds to do that before the impact, had he followed the procedure this incident would not have happened?’’

Sen-Const Cornish: “Again, if he had that opportunity to identify it.’’

Mr Eberhardt: “Do you also agree had (junior ride operator) Courtney Williams pressed the emergency stop button in the unload area at any time prior to say three seconds before the raft became dragged into the mechanism, this incident would not have happened?’’

Sen-Const Cornish: “Testing has shown if the emergency stop button was pressed it would stop it within two seconds.’’

Mr Nemeth would later testify that the conveyor belt did not stop despite him pushing the button “three or four times”.

Lawyer Steven Whybrow, for the Canberra families, referred Sen-Const Cornish to his evidence that “to the best he could identify” the ride was in good working order.

Mr Whybrow asked about safety expert Dr George Rutherford, who visited the theme park after the accident and during an inspection removed an operating panel.

“He described the wiring and circuitry as a rats nest with dangly disconnected wires with uninsulated ends which could cause dangerous malfunction,” Mr Whybrow said.

Sen-Const Cornish replied: “I was there the day he did it. I wasn’t taking complete observations of what he was doing. I was doing other tasks. I did see him remove the panel.”

The police investigation has found an “earth fault” was responsible for the pump breakdown but what component caused it remains unknown.

Lawyer Rob Davis, who is acting for Kim Dorsett, mother of victims Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, asked about an incident in January 2001 when, before the park opened, a raft flipped after hitting others stopped on a protrusion on the conveyor belt. In an internal email, a safety manager wrote they “shudder to think” what would have occurred had passengers been on board.

A report on whether an accident could happen in future with guests concluded “the possibility of this occurring is nil”.

Mr Davis: “Based on your knowledge of the ride and its operations, was that in your opinion a reasonable assessment of the risk of the same event occurring?’’

Sen-Const Cornish: “All those points made are relying on human intervention – it’s relying on the operators to be in control of the ride at the time. There is no automation safety. The situation is also different in regards to water levels … I don’t think its comparing apples with apples.’’

Junior ride operator Courtney Williams is expected to give evidence at the inquest today.