Ex-Ardent CEO Deborah Thomas responds to coroner’s findings

Deborah Thomas says she will ‘review and reflect on the findings’ by the coroner on the Dreamworld tragedy.

Deborah Thomas, former CEO of Ardent Leisure. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

Former Ardent Leisure chief executive Deborah Thomas said Coroner James McDougall’s findings are “an important milestone in the extensive and ongoing investigation” into the deaths of four people on one of Dreamworld’s rides in 2016.

Deborah Thomas said she hopes the recommendations contained in the findings will prevent such a tragedy occurring every again.

“I will thoroughly review and reflect on the findings made by Mr McDougall,” she said in a statement. “I understand the toll the inquest process has had on the victims’ families, staff and everyone who has been affected by this devastating tragedy.”

“I respectfully offer my most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett, Cindy Low and Roozbeh Araghi.”

in a scathing inquest on Monday, the Queensland coroner eviscerated Dreamworld and recommended the company for possible prosecution over the deaths.

Ms Thomas told The Australian in 2017 she thinks every day about the Dreamworld accident, in which four people were killed on the Thunder River Rapids Ride.

“Not a day goes by — sometimes not even an hour goes by — without thinking about the families and what they must be going through,” she said.

At the time of the accident, the embattled former chief came under fire after claiming Ardent Leisure had reached out to the grieving families and had made contact with one family who lost siblings Kate Goodchild, 32, and Luke Dorsett, 35. “We’ve reached out to the families, we’ve finally made contact with the Dorsett family and we are talking with them today about how we may assist,” she said.

However, she was left embarrassed when the siblings’ mother, Kim Dorsett, told Ms Thomas via a Ten Network reporter that the family was yet to hear from Dreamworld and were “furious”.

“The Dorsett family are actually watching this press conference now and are furious at suggestions that support has been offered to them,” reporter Melinda Nucifora said.

“They say they have had no direct contact whatsoever, no one has even reached out to them. She has sent me her direct mobile number and said can someone please call her.”

Ms Thomas stepped down as the company’s CEO only months after Dreamworld’s Thunder River Rapids ride tragedy.

She is now the CEO at Camp Quality, a non-profit organisation designed to help young children dealing with cancer.