Dreamworld blasted over ride disaster

DREAMWORLD faces multimillion-dollar fines – and executives could even go to jail – after a coroner’s scathing report into the Thunder River Rapids ride disaster found a “systemic failure in relation to all aspects of safety”.

Handing down his longawaited findings into the 2016 tragedy that killed tourists Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett, Roozi Araghi and Cindy Low, Coroner James Mcdougall said he suspected Dreamworld owners Ardent Leisure may have broken workplace safety laws and referred the company for possible prosecution.

As heartbroken relatives of the victims looked on, Mr Mcdougall slammed safety practices at the Gold Coast theme park, describing them as “frighteningly unsophisticated”, “clearly unsound and dangerous” and “irresponsibly and dangerously inadequate”.

He also took aim at an engineer who certified the ride as “mechanically and structurally safe” just eight days before the disaster, referring him for possible disciplinary action.

Mr Mcdougall delivered his findings in Brisbane after first inviting the victims’ relatives to address the court and tell of their devastation.

Ms Low’s brother Michael Cook was the most bitter, lashing “money-driven cowboys” he said had cost his sister her life and ruined his. A tearful Kim Dorsett, mother of Kate and Luke, told the court that the easiest part of the tragedy was burying her children.

“The horrendous legacy is living each day without them,” she said.

Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett, his partner

Roozi Araghi and NSW mum Cindy Low were killed when their raft flipped in a collision on the Thunder River Rapids ride on October 25, 2016, throwing them on to the conveyor. Mr Mcdougall’s damning 274-page report said the 30-year-old ride was an accident waiting to happen.

“It is surprising, given the state of the safety management systems in place at Dreamworld that a tragedy of this nature had not occurred before now,” he said.

“It was simply a matter of time. That time came on October 25, 2016.”

Mr Mcdougall said the design and construction of the ride, including wide spacing of slats on the conveyor, “posed a significant risk to the health and safety of patrons”.

“Each of these obvious hazards posed a risk to the safety of patrons on the ride.”