No blame over deaths
POLICE have recommended no criminal charges be laid against any individual over the Dreamworld disaster a year ago in a report just handed to the Queensland Coroner.
But the Coomera theme park’s owners still face potential prosecution by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), under industrial laws that carry jail terms of up to six years and fines of almost $4 million.
Ahead of next week’s first anniversary of the Thunder River Rapids ride tragedy that killed four people, the Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal police have not recommended charges against Dreamworld staff in a two-volume report presented last week to the Coroner’s office.
Police are understood to have recommended a coronial hearing, expected to be held next year.
The killer ride’s emergency procedures and training, as well as mechanical issues, will come under close scrutiny at the inquest.
A young Dreamworld staff member was on her first day of operating the ride when it malfunctioned on October 25 last year.
Canberra mum-of-two Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 35, his partner Roozi Araghi, 38, and Sydney woman Cindy Low, 42, were killed. WHSQ completed its “exhaustive” investigation into the tragedy last month and State Government lawyers are now assessing the report to determine if charges should be laid.
New industrial manslaughter laws were passed last week in State Parliament, but are not retrospective, so cannot be used in relation to the Dreamworld incident.
However, Dreamworld’s stock exchange-listed owners Ardent Leisure could still face prosecution under the Work Health and Safety Act, which carries jail terms and multimillion-dollar fines for reckless conduct and hefty fines for negligence.
A WHSQ spokesman confirmed it was examining the “legal consequences of the investigation … including whether any charges should be laid”. “That process is expected to take several months,” the spokesman said.
A Dreamworld spokesman said the park was unable to comment “due to the sensitive nature of the (coronial) investigation and any subsequent report”.