Top End Safari Camp, Matt and Kaia Wright flags negotiations with NT WorkSafe over Finnis River airboat crash
Reality television star Matt Wright and his wife Kaia have flagged negotiations with the Territory’s work safety watchdog following an airboat crash that fractured a woman’s skull.
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A Territory reality television star has suggested negotiating with the work safety watchdog following an airboat crash that fractured a woman’s skull.
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, his wife Kaia Wright and their company Top End Safari Camp have each been charged with failing to comply with their health and safety duty following a crash into a crocodile-habitat in May 2023.
WorkSafe has previously alleged 26 tourists were on a day-tour with Top End Safari Camp, using two airboats to tour the Finniss River, 127km southwest of Darwin.
It is alleged one of the airboats hit a semi-submerged tree at Sweets Lagoon around 11am, throwing all 13 passengers from their seats.
Eight of those passengers were injured as a result, with one woman suffering a fractured skull and significant scalp laceration while another woman was left with a leg injury.
WorkSafe has alleged the airboat operated without any seat belts, life jackets, a lifebuoy, or a first aid kit on-board, and the airboat’s radio was not working on the day of the incident.
Despite Top End Safari Camp developing a safety management system in 2021, it is alleged the risk assessment plans were not implemented and the boats had exceeded their on-board passenger limits.
Nearly two years after the incident, the Wrights’ new lawyer Lyma Nguyen asked Darwin Local Court chief judge Elizabeth Morris for another adjournment.
The Wrights’ previous barrister Giles O’Brien-Hartcher was appointed as a Territory judge in January, meaning Ms Nguyen had only just come onto the case.
On Monday Ms Nguyen confirmed the Wrights were considering going in talks with WorkSafe to set out an enforceable undertaking, a legally binding agreement to make safety changes to their business.
“I anticipate that there may be some efforts towards an enforceable undertaking, that (issue) can be agitated in the next directions hearing,” she said.
“Generally the process for an enforceable undertaking is quite lengthy.”
But Ms Morris raised her concerns that the celebrity’s case had not progressed since December, with directions hearings date rapidly filling up with “over 100 matters” listed on May 19.
Ms Morris set their hearing for May 26, warning “there’s no further adjournments … if it’s not resolved it will be set for hearing”.
If found guilty, Top End Safari Camp could face a maximum penalty of $4m, while the Wrights could each face a $700,000 fine.
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Originally published as Top End Safari Camp, Matt and Kaia Wright flags negotiations with NT WorkSafe over Finnis River airboat crash
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