Dreamworld inquest findings: Dreamworld bosses snub questions

Dreamworld bosses have left media stunned by their actions after they called a press conference following the damning outcome of the coronial investigation into the Thunder River Rapids tragedy that killed four people in 2016.

DREAMWORLD bosses have refused to answer questions from journalists despite calling a press conference after a Queensland coroner released scathing findings into the Thunder River Rapids tragedy that killed four people.

Ardent Leisure Chairman, Gary Weiss and Theme Parks Division Chief Executive Officer, John Osborne today invited journalists to Dreamworld hours after coroner James McDougall recommended the company be referred to the Office of Industrial Relations over the deaths of Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi, who passed away when their raft capsized on the Thunder River Rapids ride on October 25, 2016.

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The OIC will consider if there is sufficient evidence to show Ardent Leisure committed breaches under workplace laws after the Coroners Court today found there had been “total” and “systemic failures” in safety procedures at the park in the lead up to the tragedy.

Ardent Leisure CEO John Osborne (left) and Chairman Gary Weiss address the media outside the Magistrates Court in Brisbane but refused to answer questions. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

But despite the damning revelations, PR executives today told journalists who had been called to the 4pm presser bosses would only be reading statements and taking no questions.

When pushed on why the decision had been made not to respond to questions on the long-awaited coronial findings, there was no explanation offered.

The Courier-Mail was later told executives needed time to digest the findings and would “regroup” this afternoon.

In the statements, Dr Weiss and Mr Osborne both offered their “deepest sympathies” to the four people who died at the park almost four years ago.

“We are committed to implementing the Coroner’s recommendations,” Dr Weiss said, adding that safety was the number one priority at the park.

He earlier said: “No one will ever forget the events of that terrible day and reaffirm our commitment to safety and to strive for global best practice in theme park operation.

“We are also profoundly sorry for those who have been impacted by this tragedy.”

Mr Osborne said not a day went by when Dreamworld executives did not think about what had happened at the park.

He told journalists a memorial garden would be constructed at Dreamworld in memory of those affected by the tragedy.

The Thunder River Rapids ride has now been decommissioned.

Dreamworld has made a number of safety improvements at the park following the tragedy, including new safety drills, inspections by registered engineers and better hazard identification, Mr Osborne said today.

Dreamworld are working with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and have a new safety team made up of professional from the Australian commercial aviation industry, he said.

Today’s press conference is the latest saga in Dreamworld’s failed handling of the tragedy.

Shortly after the deaths, the theme park was forced into an embarrassing backflip after concerns were raised by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and then-Police Commissioner Ian Stewart over the timing of the reopening.

They had hoped to reopen for a “Memorial Day” days after the tragedy, despite the park still being an active crime scene teeming with police and forensic officers.

At their annual general meeting held days later, it was revealed Ardent Leisure 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”.

The former Dreamworld boss Deborah Thomas stood aside in April 2017.

Originally published as Dreamworld inquest findings: Dreamworld bosses snub questions