A Best Practice Review has taken place at Queensland’s Dreamworld following the disaster on the Thunder River Rapids ride last October which claimed the lives of four people.
The review has lead toward the introduction of radical changes in ride and amusement park safety standards, including the adoption of industrial manslaughter laws, increased safety inspections and new maintenance requirements and licencing obligations for ride operators.
Queensland’s Industrial Relations Minister there is a total of 58 recommendation the government would like to introduce following the Best Practice Review.
“Under our proposed laws, the maximum penalty for industrial manslaughter will be 20 years imprisonment for an individual, with a maximum fine of $10 million for a corporate offender,” she said in a statement.
“Importantly, companies won’t be able to hide behind elaborate corporate structures to evade their responsibilities.
“Our harsher penalties will serve as a deterrent to employers who are tempted to cut corners when it comes to safety in the workplace.”
These people lost their lives in the tragic accident.
The mother of two of the people killed in the tragic Dreamworld accident last year says her “whole family has been wiped out”.
Four people were killed when the Thunder River Rapids ride malfunctioned in October last year.
The Courier Mail reported Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, his partner Roozi Araghi and a 42-year-old Sydney mum of two were killed in the attack.
It is understood Ms Goodchild’s daughter was on the ride also but she was flung off to safety, as was another child.
It is believed the group was on holidays from Canberra and only visited the popular theme park after extending their trip a few extra days.
Talking about the loss of both her children Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, grieving mum Kim Dorsett, who was also on the holiday, said her family is “absolutely devastated”.
“We are just devastated, absolutely devastated,” she told The Courier Mail.
“I have three children and have lost two of them today — my whole family has been wiped out.
“I have two granddaughters — an eight-month-old and a 12-year-old — and it truly breaks my heart to know that my eight-month-old is never going to get to know her mum.”
