Dreamworld’s botched response to tragedy
UPDATE: Dreamworld will remain closed until at least after the funerals of the four victims who died there this week on the theme park’s Thunder River Rapids ride.
- Dreamworld teen on first shift
- Dreamworld worker’s heartless post
- Families look to legal action
- Radio host sacked over Dreamworld joke
DREAMWORLD will remain closed until at least after the funerals of the four victims who died there this week.
Park CEO Craig Davidson addressed the media briefly on Friday afternoon, saying the focus was on the victims’ families and the park would not reopen until they had a chance to pay their final respects.
Mr Davidson also confirmed that the park’s rides will be audited.
“No attraction in this park will be reopening until the internal and externals safety audits are completed and are peer reviewed by international experts ...” he said.
“I would like to confirm under the direction of Deborah Thomas that no parks or park will open until at least after the funerals of the four people who tragically lost their lives.
“Our first priority will always be to support the families.”
Mr Davidson also thanked the “Dreamworld family” for taking part in this morning’s private memorial service at the park.
He also thanked Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and volunteers from the Red Cross for their support in the wake of the tragedy.
A candle light vigil will be held at the park tonight.
EARLIER: Dreamworld has sensationally backed out of today’s planned “Memorial Day” reopening amid fears it could jeopardise investigations into Tuesday’s tragedy.
Just a day after announcing they would open for the first time since four people died on the Thunder River Rapids ride, the theme park was forced into an embarrassing backflip after concerns were raised by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Police Commissioner Ian Stewart over the timing of the reopening.
After discussions involving senior police including Mr Stewart, and the board members of Dreamworld’s parent company Ardent Leisure, it was decided the park would remain closed until at least next week.
It is still an active crime scene teeming with police and forensic officers.
The area surrounding the ill-fated ride remains the subject of a crime scene warrant until next Tuesday but police have special powers to extend the warrant if required.
The tragedy has already had repercussions around the world, with a Florida theme park closing a ride similar to the Thunder River Rapids until it could glean some answers from what went so horribly wrong at Dreamworld.
A statement released by Dreamworld late yesterday said the park had been “advised by police that we are unable to proceed with the memorial service as planned”.
“The integrity of the coronial investigation was of paramount importance and postponing the service will give QPS the time it needs to conduct this investigation,” the statement says.
However, Assistant Police Commissioner Brian Codd said police did not order Dreamworld to remain closed today.
“We didn’t give them any direction or order not to reopen,” he said. “Dreamworld decided to delay the opening for a period of time so they can be in a better position when they do so.”
It is understood Dreamworld had been planning a “soft” opening with no thrill rides in operation and the entire northern part of the park fenced off.
Work was still being done to construct barriers yesterday afternoon before the reversal.
Visibility screens were also being designed to shield the ride from view.
It is understood Ms Palaszczuk raised concerns about whether the reopening would impede police involved in the painstaking task of trying to establish exactly what went wrong at the base of a conveyor belt at 2.20pm on Tuesday.
However, she insisted the final decision rested between Dreamworld and the police.
“We need to allow the police to do their job,” she told media after laying a wreath outside the park. “The issue of Dreamworld reopening is an issue between the organisation and the police.”
In Florida, officials from the Busch Gardens theme park suspended operation of the Congo River Rapids until investigators could paint a clearer picture of the horrific accident at Dreamworld.
Meanwhile, the Australian Workers’ Union Queensland state secretary Ben Swan said the AWU would continue its own investigation, to bring Dreamworld to account for some alleged issues that date back at least 18 months.
Current and former staff members have been contacted for their knowledge of any safety incidents.
“Here they are claiming ‘world’s best practice’ … but the tragic reality is that four people are dead,” Mr Swan said.
INSENSITIVE HANDLING OF TRAGEDY
THE owners of Dreamworld suffered a series of shameful blunders after their annual general meeting yesterday, as it was revealed they had not contacted the families of the four people who died, despite claiming they had.
Under intense questioning after the meeting, Ardent Leisure chief executive Deborah Thomas claimed she had not called the family of two of the victims, Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, because she “didn’t know how to contact them”.
Dreamworld was also forced late yesterday to cancel plans to reopen the park for a memorial day today, despite Ardent Leisure chairman Neil Balnaves earlier defending its decision to do so.
Mr Balnaves said the board had made the decision after advice it was better “that people get back to work”.
In a further insult to the victims, he then said: “We can’t return the four lives”.
“It is better that people get back to work and basically get together with their comrades and talk and deal with this issue, rather than they are concerned about their jobs and sitting at home in isolation,” he said at a press conference after the AGM. “It’s driven by the utmost respect for the families and the deaths, and it will open again on Saturday to basically repair the damage with a lot of our people as well. We can’t return the four lives.’’
Ms Thomas, who came under further fire after accepting a $843,000 bonus, was criticised for failing to speak with the grieving families.
“We didn’t call the Dorsett family directly because we didn’t know how to contact them, so we have been to the police liaison officer,” Ms Thomas said.
“I am a mother, I have a family, I take my family to Dreamworld – this could’ve been my family and I am completely sympathetic to what they must be going through.’
“I’m very happy to call them after this meeting.”
She then offered an on-air message of condolence to the families after being told by journalists they were upset by claims the company had been in contact with them.
“I would like to say to Mrs Dorsett my sincere sympathies for what you must be going through, and on behalf of the staff and management at Ardent and Dreamworld, that our hearts and our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time,” she said. “I will be calling you to see what assistance we can offer you.”
The Courier-Mail has learned Ms Thomas has since called Kim Dorsett, the grieving mother of Ms Goodchild and Mr Dorsett, after a journalist passed on the family’s number.
Dreamworld theme park chief Craig Davidson also spoke with Simon Araghi, the brother of Roozbeh Araghi, Mr Dorsett’s partner, who also died in the tragedy.
The family of the fourth victim, Cindy Low, had not been contacted by Ardent by last night because the company could not find their number.
Mr Balnaves also confirmed that Ardent was receiving legal advice about the incident, and director George Venardos said the company had “adequate insurance” for such accidents.
Edward Boyd and Clare Armstrong
‘Burnt out and defeated’: Qld cops leave in droves
